Regent Park

:"Alternate uses: Regent's Park (disambiguation)""This article is about the neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. For the neighborhood in Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA, see Regent Park-Carolinas."

Infobox City
official_name = Regent Park
subdivision_type2 = Country
subdivision_name2 = Canada
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = Ontario
subdivision_type = City
subdivision_name = Toronto


mapsize=150px
map_caption=Location of Regent Park within Toronto

---

established_title = Redeveloped
established_date = ca 1940s

Regent Park is a neighbourhood located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Formerly the centre of the Cabbagetown neighbourhood, it is bounded by Gerrard Street East to the north, River Street to the east, Shuter Street to the south, and Parliament Street to the west. It is an extremely culturally diverse neighbourhood, with more than half of its population being immigrants. [ [http://www.regentparkplan.ca/ Regent Park - A Place To Call Home ] ] Over 50% of the population living in Regent Park are children 18 years and younger (compared to a Toronto-wide average of 30%).

The average income for Regent Park residents is approximately half the average for other Torontonians. A majority of families in Regent Park are classified as low-income, with 68% of the population living below Statistics Canada's Low-Income Cut-Off Rate in one of its census tracts, and 76% in the other (compared to a Toronto-wide average of just over 20%). "See related articles, Poverty in Canada."

Regent Park's residential dwellings are entirely social housing, and cover all of the 69 acres (280,000 m²) which comprise the community. Regent Park is Canada's oldest social housing project, having been built in the late 1940s. (The Toronto slum neighbourhood then known as Cabbagetown was razed in the process of creating Regent Park; the nickname Cabbagetown is now applied to the regentrified, upscale area north of the housing project.)

Redevelopment

More than a half-century old, the Regent Park projects were aging rapidly and were in need of costly repairs. The city government developed a plan to demolish and rebuild Regent Park over the next ten years, with the first phase having started fall 2005. The addition of market units on site will double the number of units in Regent Park. Former street patterns will be restored and housing will be designed to reflect that of adjacent neighbourhoods (including Cabbagetown and Corktown), in order to end Regent Park's physical isolation from the rest of the city.

In support of the Clean and Beautiful City campaign by Mayor David Miller, and to further the goal of elevating architecture in all Toronto Community Housing Corporation projects, an architectural competition was held for the design of the first apartment building in the complex. Toronto-based architectsAlliance was selected winner of the competition, with a Neo-Modern glass point tower set on top of a red-brick podium structure in their proposal.

As one of Toronto's poorest neighbourhoods, Regent Park has been stigmatized as a bastion of immeasurable poverty and despair. However, evidence has proven the contrary; there is a strong sense of community that pervades Regent Park and its diversity is reflected in the city's diversity. Certainly, the revitalization process will modernize Regent Park, however it remains to be seen whether or not it will effectively reduce the neighbourhood's poverty and stigma.

The redevelopment has been criticized by housing activists such as John Sewell for possibly reducing the number of rent-geared-to-income units located within Regent Park, and for allegedly concentrating these units in buildings that will be exclusively low-income. Despite these allegations, the City approval of the redevelopment is conditional on the replacement of all of the rent-geared-to-income units that existed in Regent Park prior to the commencement of redevelopment. A small number of the rent-geared-to-income units, however, can be rebuilt in other locations in the east Downtown, outside of Regent Park itself.

Evolution from a transitional community to a residential community

Regent Park was originally designed as a transitional community. It was to house people experiencing financial difficulties, for whatever reason. Most residents were on social assistance, and working residents paid rent proportional to their income. In the last two decades Regent Park has also become an immigrant settlement community, as immigrants facing difficulties settling in Canada end up living there. Thus, the community is always viewed and administrated as a transitional community. This contributed to the concentration of a socially marginalized population, and various social ills of Regent Park. In particular, a transitional community failed to generate the awareness, interest, and commitment of its residents to invest in the development and sustainability of a higher quality of life.

The revitalization has provided an opportunity for the community to transform itself into a residential community. The mixed income housing model is aimed towards this end. However, critics allege that the revitalization maintains segregation and separate treatment of the poor, as it allegedly keeps the assisted-rent and the market-rent units separate. Also, critics claim that revitalization will eventually eliminate the poor population that presently resides in Regent Park.

Regent Park community groups and service agencies

Various community groups have been highly active in promoting a positive sense of community and community representation, and in pursuing a higher quality of life. Regent Park Neighbourhood Initiative (RPNI) is one such organization, which mission is “to provide leadership in building and sustaining a healthy and vibrant community.” Another such organization is Regent Park Focus Youth Media Arts Centre, which “uses media technology as a tool to employ young people, enhance resiliency, bridge information gaps, increase civic engagement, promote health and effect positive change.” [http://www.p2e.ca/faq.html Pathways to Education] is a program of the Regent Park Community Health Centre that promotes “individual health and the health of the community by addressing the two principal social determinants of health: education and income.” Moreover, there are various cultural associations such as Regent Park Tamil Cultural Association, which aim to promote intra and inter cultural development and exchange, and to foster a healthier community.

List of community groups::* Regent Park Community Health Centre [ [http://www.regentparkchc.org/ colour ] ] :* Regent Park Community Centre:* ArtHeart Community Art Centre:* Dreamers - Peace Garden [ [http://www.e-snaps.ca/dreamers/] Dead link|date=July 2008] :* The Salvation Army Corps 614 [ [http://www.614network.com 614network.com | Home ] ] :* The Umar Bin Khattab Mosque [http://www.masjidumar.org/] :* Parents For Better Beginnings Team [ [http://www.regentparkchc.org/g-pfbbteam.htm Parents For Better Beginnings Team ] ] :* Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre [ [http://www.councilfire.ca/ Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre / Home Page ] ] :* W.A.T.C.H (Words, Action, Thought, Character and Heart) - UofT Community Service Club working to transform RP:* Centre Communautaire Africains Francophones

See Also: "List of Regent Park Community Groups"

Political representation and administration of Regent Park

Canada consists of 308 electoral districts, and Regent Park is located in the Toronto Centre – Rosedale riding. For city administration, each district is divided into two city wards. Regent Park is located in the Toronto Centre ward.

TCHC Tenant Participation System in Regent Park

In 2002 Toronto City Councillors recognized the need for increased tenant participation in the day to day management of housing. As a result, TCHC initiated the Tenant Participation System (TPS). [ [http://www.torontohousing.ca/tenant_life/tenant_participation_system Tenant Participation System · Toronto Community Housing ] ] The first election for TPS was held in 2003, and a subsequent election was held in 2006. The tenant representatives were volunteers representing a constant number of adjacent units. Overall the formal mechanism set up to give tenants voice in the day to day management of the Regent Park had a positive impact. For instance, lighting in Regent Park has improved as a direct result of the TPS representatives requests. However, the mechanism developed for the whole of Toronto’s various housing communities need to adopt to local conditions in order to meet the needs of the Regent Park residents more effectively.

Regent Park public services

Transportation

Regent Park is served by the Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) streetcars 501, 505, 506, and the 65 bus. The streetcars provide quick access to the Yonge subway line.

The Don Valley Parkway is a major highway that goes by Regent Park.

Libraries

Regent Park is served by two close public libraries. The Toronto Public Library – Parliament branch [ [http://www.tpl.toronto.on.ca/hou_az_pl.jsp Toronto Public Library > Hours & Locations > Branches A-Z > Parliament Street Library ] ] is located at Gerrard and Parliament junction, and houses a special local history archive about Regent Park. The other nearby branch is the Riverdale branch, [ [http://www.tpl.toronto.on.ca/hou_az_rd.jsp Toronto Public Library > Hours & Locations > Branches A-Z > Riverdale Library ] ] and it is located at Gerrard and Broadview junction.

Emergency services

The Toronto Fire Services station 325 is Regent Park's fire station, and located at 475 Dundas Street. [ [http://www.toronto.ca/fire/stations/stations/325.htm City of Toronto: Toronto Fire Services - Fire operations ] ] The Toronto Police Service – 51 Division is responsible for the community. [ [http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/d51/ Toronto Police Service :: To Serve and Protect ] ] It was once located in the community at 30 Regent Street, and it has now moved to near by 51 Parliament Street.

Housing

Majority of the buildings in Regent Park are public housing. Toronto Community Housing Corporation is responsible for providing and maintaining the public housing units. Regent Park is the Community Housing Unit 27 managed by TCHC, and its manager is Ade Davies. [http://www.torontohousing.ca/tenant_life/units/default.asp?load=ch27]

Child care

Regent Park has a very young population. The Regent Park Child Care Centre cares for infants and toddlers. [ [http://www.toronto.ca/children/dmc/doccs/docc1870.html City of Toronto: Children's Services - Municipal Child Care - Regent Park Child Care Centre ] ]

Electricity services and street lighting

Hydro One is responsible for generating and distributing electric power, and in providing various "electricity services" for Ontario, thus Regent Park. The local street light technical issues are handled by Toronto Hydro Street Lighting Inc. [http://www.torontohydro.com/streetlighting/index.cfm]

Social, economic, and political issues in Regent Park

Regent Park is characterized by a high rate of poverty and unemployment, and is home to an immigrant and marginalized population. It experiences a higher rate of violence, crime, drug abuse, and social ills compared to many other Toronto communities.

Police and residents relations

As late as 2001 the relation between some residents and police was confrontational. [http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_05.17.01/news/citystate.html] Police face tremendous challenges in providing protection and security to the community. Recently, the community and police relations have greatly improved. Police have adopted a community oriented, preventive, and collaborate approach, and indicate that they are more effective in providing security to the community.Fact|date=June 2008

Regent Park as a social experiment

Regent Park is Canada's first and the largest social housing project or a social engineering project. Thus, it has attracted the attention of various social science scholars and media. Scholar and activist Dr. Sean Purdy has written his thesis based on his research about Regent Park. His paper "Ripped Off" By the System: Housing Policy, Poverty, and Territorial Stigmatization in Regent Park Housing Project, 1951–1991" provides valuable insights about Regent Park. [ [http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/llt/52/purdy.html Sean Purdy | "Ripped Off" By the System: Housing Policy, Poverty, and Territorial Stigmatization in Regent Park Housing Project, 1951–1991 | Labour/Le Travail, 52 | The Histor... ] ]

The recent [http://www.regentparkplan.ca/ Regent Park Revitalization Plan] is also viewed and undertaken as a pilot Canadian social re engineering effort. The federal and local governments view the plan as means to establish best practices and bench marks. Although, such enthusiasm adds to the momentum of the revitalization plan, the Regent Park history warrants caution as not to repeat or reproduce the shortcomings of its past.

In addition, Norman Rowen, Program Manager of [http://www.pathwaystoeducation.ca/ The Pathways to Education Program] , and researcher Kevin Gosine have published research that documents the success of Pathways in improving academic achievement and reducing the high school dropout rate among Regent Park youth.

List of academic literature

* Purdy, Sean. "Framing Regent Park: the National Film Board of Canada and the Construction of Outcast Spaces in the Inner City, 1953 and 1994,” "Media, Culture and Society" (UK), Vol.27, no.4 (July 2005).

* Purdy, Sean. “By the People, For the People: Tenant Organizing in Toronto’s Regent Park Housing Project in the 1960s and 1970s,” "Journal of Urban History", Vol.30, no.4 (May 2004), 519-548.

* Rowen, Norman and Kevin Gosine. "Support that Matters: A Community-Based Response to the Challenge of Promoting Academic Achievement Among Impoverished Youth," in B.J. McMahon and D.E. Armstrong (Eds), "Inclusion in Urban Educational Environments: Addressing Issues of Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice." Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing (2006), 277-299.
* [http://individual.utoronto.ca/veronis/ma_research.html Luisa Veronis. "Exploring the Margin: The Borders between Regent Park and Cabbagetown"]

Books about Regent Park

* Albert Rose. 1958. "Regent Park: A Study in Slum Clearance". Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Documentaries

* [http://www.nfb.ca/trouverunfilm/fichefilm.php?id=31048&v=h&lg=en&exp= "Return to Regent Park" by the National Film Board of Canada]

Musical references to Regent Park

* "Rub a dub style inna Regent Park" by Toronto dub poet Lillian Allen, from her Juno winning 1986 album, Revolutionary Tea Party.
*"Born and Raised In The Ghetto" by Toronto hip hop group Point Blank.

References

External links

Regent Park organizations

:* [http://www.regentparkplan.ca/ Regent Park Revitalization Plan] :* [http://www.catchdaflava.com/ Regent Park Focus Youth Media Arts Centre] :* [http://www.regentparkfilmfestival.com Regent Park Film Festival] :* [http://www.regentparkschoolofmusic.org/ Regent Park School of Music ] :* [http://www.regentparkchc.org/ Regent Park Community Health Centre] :* [http://www.p2e.ca/ The Pathways to Education Program] :* [http://www.tcrc.ca/about.php Regent Park Christian Community centre] :* [http://www.crpmuseum.com/ Cabbagetown Regent Park Museum]

Employment and community service agencies for Regent Park

:* [http://www.ootc.ca/ Dixon Hall] :* [http://www.woodgreen.org/employment/ Woodgreen] :* [http://www.cnh.on.ca Central Neighbourhood House] :* [http://www.parachute.org/ Parachute Community Employment Centre ] :* [http://www.catchdaflava.com Regent Park Focus Youth Media Arts Center] :* [http://www.ysm.on.ca/cc.html Yonge Street Mission]

Schools in Regent Park

:* [http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/nelsonmandelapark/ Nelson Mandela Park Public School] :* [http://www.tdsb.on.ca/scripts/Schoolasp.asp?schno=5219 Lord Dufferin Junior and Senior Public School] :* [http://www.tdsb.on.ca/scripts/Schoolasp.asp?schno=5280 Regent Park/Duke of York Public School]

Regent Park in the media

:* [http://www.regentpark.tv Regent Park TV] :* [http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_07.07.05/city/citystate.html When good design meets bad planning] John Sewell on the Regent Park redevelopment plan (July 7, 2005):* [http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_01.20.05/city/citystate.html What to do with Regent Park?] John Sewell, January 20, 2005:* [http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2003-01-09/news_story3.php Roll of the Dice in Regent] :* [http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Columnists/Toronto/Michele_Mandel/2004/08/22/596244.html Immigrant dreams become nightmares] :* [http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_05.17.01/news/citystate.html Tragedy in Regent Park ]

Community building

:* [http://www.ideasthatmatter.com/quarterly/itm-3-2/ITMV3N2.pdf Ideas that Matter - RP Featured Issue] :* [http://www.ingenious.carleton.ca/2004-05/16.htm From ghetto to neighbourhood] - Redevelopment Graphics

Other links

:* [http://www.toronto.ca/demographics/cns_profiles/cns72.htm City of Toronto: Regent Park Neighbourhood Profile] :* [http://www.torontoneighbourhoods.net/regions/toronto_downtown/27.html Torontoneighbourhoods.net - Detail General Info] :* [http://www.canadacricket.com/archives/2005/regent.html Regent Park Civics Cricket Club] :* [http://www.onpha.on.ca/conference_training_meetings/onpha_awards/tenant_achievement_award/default.asp?load=tenant_achievement_award_2003 ONPHA Tenant Achievent Award for RP Residet Council] :* [http://www.rapdict.org/Regent_Park The Rap Dictionary-Regent Park-POINT BLANK] :* [http://www.urban-renaissance.org/urbanren/index.cfm?DSP=content&ContentID=10425 RP Comparison] :* [http://www.canadafreepress.com/gun-shootings-toronto.htm Recent Shootings] :* [http://www..com/p/articles/mi_m0LVZ/is_6_18/ai_97177591 Rethinking public housing – Toronto’s Regent Park – Article by Community Action Publishers] :* [http://www.canadafreepress.com/2000/security060100.htm Life in Regent's Park by Bill Joynt ] :* [http://con.ca/articles/519 Livin' in by Regent Park and how to Dodge Bullets] :* [http://www.canadianarchitect.com/issues/ISarticle.asp?id=166436&story_id=89124101131&issue=08012005&PC= A Clean Slate?] :* [http://www.nipost.org/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=3&MMN_position=32:32 Neighbourhood Information Post]

ee also

: List of neighbourhoods in Toronto

Toronto Neighbourhood Geography
North=Cabbagetown-South St. James Town
East=South Riverdale
South=Moss Park
West=Moss Park
Center=Regent Park