Jane Finch Initiative: Local Pop-Ups and Idea Jam

How might we create a safer, more accessible, and youth-friendly neighbourhood for young people who live, work, study, and play in the Jane Finch area?

In the fall of 2022, Urban Minds hosted a series of eight pop-ups to engage youth throughout the Jane Finch community. Pop-ups were led by local Youth Ambassadors, as it was important to recruit local youth who were knowledgeable about their own community and easily approachable to effectively gather feedback from their peers.

Key themes expressed through these pop-ups included safety concerns, frustrations with getting around using local public transit, and a lack of recreational facilities. 

Following the pop-ups, we hosted an Idea Jam with local high school students. The goal of the Idea Jam was to identify how to address these challenges so that the Jane Finch area remains equitable and inclusive. This event featured multiple forms of engagement, including a welcome survey, collective mapping, and vision boarding. City of Toronto and Perkins & Will staff were in attendance to converse with students throughout the event. 

Seven key themes emerged from our Idea Jam:

1. Larger green spaces to provide additional recreation space for youth
2. Improve accessibility and pedestrian safety by repairing sidewalks, adding new sidewalks, and improving lighting
3. Improve both transit and bike networks as these are main forms of transportation for high school students (e.g. improve frequency of bus service, expand network of bike trails)
4. More public art that reflects the community
5. Greater variety of retail and restaurants, including affordable options
6. Provide a mix of housing options from low-rise buildings like townhouses to mixed-use high rise buildings that addresses concerns around homelessness and housing affordability
7. Preserve youth-focused spaces (eg. community centres, high schools)