About A Park of Many Paths

In early 2008, we began to imagine a project that could harness the energy discovered at Lantern Garden to continue transforming the Mabelle Park. At that time we received $5000 from the Ontario Arts Council to put together a research and development team of artists and architects to further explore the idea. At the end of the process we compiled a report that outlined a variety of community-based approaches for the park transformation that could be tailored to fit a variety of budget scenarios. We named the project A Park of Many Paths and began consulting with organizational partners and tenants in the winter of 2008.

In the spring of 2009 we began an extensive community consultation process with Mabelle tenants. We spoke with over 100 residents in depth, who shared their concerns about the current park as well as their hopes and desires for a transformed park. We also developed and strengthened a variety of organizational partnerships with groups that include: FoodShare, Fourth Pig Worker Co-op, The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Arts Etobicoke, Toronto Community Housing, Jumblies Theatre and Stonegate Community Health Centre. Each of these organizations will play an active role in creating the park, as well as looking to its legacy and further development in the years to come.

Our three-year plan for transforming the park were developed out of our community consultation process and includes the following elements:

• A gazebo structure to replace the existing (and terminally broken) wading pool
• Natural amphitheatre seating
• A community garden plot
• New pathways for foot traffic
• New tables and benches
• An outdoor kitchen
• Alternative Energy Lighting
• Tree Care
• Clear site-lines

After they have facilitated a series of artistic workshops with the Advisory Committee and other residents, each of these elements will be designed by an team of artists, architects and other professionals. Members of the Advisory Committee will be trained to assist with these workshops and will receive an honorarium for doing so.

The overarching theme of the park project is migration, and includes reflection on change and movement of all sorts – from our countries of origin, from childhood to old age, from school to home, etc. Artists involved will be working directly with tenants from a full-spectrum of backgrounds, ages and life experiences to uncover stories and imagery that will find a permanent home in the overall park design.

The new park elements will be designed and installed over a two-year period beginning in May of 2010 and ending in September 2011. Tenants will play a variety of roles in the production process, including participating in paid work apprenticeships offered by our building partner – Fourth Pig Worker Co-op, an alternative building worker-owned cooperative. In year three we will be focusing on the legacy of the park and tenant leadership, as well as documentation and evaluation. This material will take the form of a publication or resource book meant to assist other organizations in implementing similar projects, as well as creating a forum for exploring some of the theoretical aspects of the work.