Community by Design Episode 2 - Meet Me at the Square
Community By Design is a podcast series, with host Jay Harrison, that takes a deeper look at how social infrastructure, our shared spaces, services, and community connections, shape daily life across our region. Listen more at https://communitybydesign.transistor.fm
“As humans, we experience place subjectively, whether it’s based on our previous lived experiences, whether it’s based on the community and how we conceive it being welcoming or not welcoming.” -- Ryan Lok, PhD Candidate at the University of Waterloo School of Planning
Public squares can draw together diverse groups for celebration, protest, play – and chance encounters with neighbours. Individuals move through these spaces in distinct ways, shaped by their identities and lived experiences, which raises the question: how do we make sure that public spaces work for everyone?
The second episode of the podcast series, Community By Design: Exploring Social Infrastructure in Waterloo Region, digs deeper into this topic by talking about two spaces in our region: Waterloo Town Square and the Gaslight District. Both of these spaces have been designed with people in mind and continue to be intentional with how they gather people.
“The lingering effect is that it takes a long time for us as humans to start trusting. The first time we drive by, we cycle by, we walk by. We are curious, and we observe and see what’s going on. By watching, the second time around, we may choose to stop and check things out. And by the third time, you become really comfortable and hangout… as folks start doing that, and as the lingering effect gets multiplied, those spaces become safer spaces because you start seeing regular people.” -- Jeyas Balaskanthan, Executive Director of the Uptown Waterloo Business Improvement Area
Making public spaces all-embracing means designing them with real care and planning activities that welcome people in. It’s being willing to wrestle with the tough questions about who feels at home in public space, and who doesn’t, and then making those adjustments.
“We need [our region] to think about infrastructure for the human spirit. It’s no different than a road or a sewer; you have to invest in these things… I’m hoping the Gaslight District shows that when you make those investments, you see the joy, the optimism, the play, and then those types of tools lead to the interaction.” -- Scott Higgins, President of HIP Developments
As our population continues to grow and housing gets harder to afford, free places to gather aren’t just nice extras — they’re what keep our community grounded and connected.
“Having things be made safe, accessible, and free is fantastic because there are a lot of people that are on limited incomes that can’t afford to go to big concerts. When we have these events in these civic spaces that are free, it’s so exciting for people because they can fully participate and it’s not a barrier to them.” -- Sheri Roberts, City of Cambridge Councillor for Ward 2
CREDITS
Jay Harrison, Host/Producer
Karyn Atkins, Writer/Reporter
Deren Atkins, Editor
Shrijith Ramaswami, Editor
David Harmes, Executive Producer/Engineer
EPISODE 2 GUESTS
Ryan Lok, PhD Candidate at the University of Waterloo School of Planning
Jeyas Balaskanthan, Executive Director of the Uptown Waterloo Business Improvement Area
Scott Higgins, President of HIP Developments
Sheri Roberts, City of Cambridge Councillor for Ward 2
