A Collection of Regent Park’s History

Jane’s Walk: A Second Look at Regent Park

The installation What Was, What Is, historically documents the transformation of Regent Park. Over one hundred images, affixed to the fences surrounding the construction, are records of the changing urban landscape.   These images along the route are signed, dated and time stamped and are available for the Jane’s Walk participants to collect. The collectors become the custodians of this visual history of Regent Park.

The following images posted will be available to collect along the route. Leave a comment and let us know which image you have chosen during your walk.

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Peace Garden Blooming

The daffodils are blooming on the former site of the Peace Garden and along side the new road.  The garden will be re-located to the front of  the 40 Oaks building, and Regent Street. The new home of the Christian Resource Centre. 

BETWEEN TWO TREES

The  changing landscape; two Dickinson Apartments demolished, Mural gone, Peace Garden gone, most of the playscape gone, waterscape gone, road cutting through, Paintbox and Regent Park Arts and Cultural Centre rising. 

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A STREET RUNS THROUGH

In keeping with the  “Garden City” type of planning  by the architects who designed Regent Park in the 1950′s,  its inward facing design separated the residents from the city grid.

The “Garden City”, once a focal point  of the five Dickinson Towers (two have been demolished), is soon to become the street which will connect Gerrard to Shutter. The Peace Garden is gone and the waterscape teeters at the edge of the construction. The remaining trees and playscape will soon vanish.

LEFT BEHIND

This gallery contains 37 photos.

As I wander through the empty spaces of Regent Park, I wonder about  the relocated families  and where they are living now. Some of the residents are in the new townhouses  I see the smiling  children, faces pressed against the … Continue reading →

THEN, AND NOW

I’ve been in and out of the city for the past few months. An interruption to the daily photographing of the fast-moving demolition in Regent Park. The streets that I walked while photographing are only now apparent  by a few landmarks,  some street signs remain. The demolition equipment is gone, taking with them the houses, the trees. Now  white hording, barren land, housing the cars and trailers of the construction workers. The Paintbox and Arts and Cultural Centre rising,

A good intermediate stage for some comparison shots over the past year. Sutton Street, St David’s Walk and Regent Street.

LABOUR INTENSIVE

This gallery contains 49 photos.

Kudos to the crews on the Regent Park site, and to all the construction workers who build our cities. When I revisit these images of the construction crew working in the elements, (-27 degrees C , most of February) I … Continue reading →