[URBAN NOTE] "Walkshopping the Layered History of Mirvish Village"

[rfmcdonald]

As the old Mirvish Village neighbourhood built around Honest Ed's comes to an end, Torontoist's Stephanie Depetrillo notes a recent walking tour of the area.

Mirvish Village was shaped by community involvement and engagement. A series of “walkshops” curated over the weekend by Westbank Projects Corp.—the developer that bought the 1.8-hectare property back in 2013—sought to create a space where public opinion could continue to have an effect on the redevelopment.

“Walks are a fantastic way for people to really give quality input,” said Jane Farrow, Director of Learning and Partnerships at MASS LBP and facilitator for the Mirvish Village “walkshops.” “It’s one thing to look at a basement and look at a map and say, ‘Oh, I really like that.’ It just comes alive on the streets.”

Torontonians from all over the city showed up at Westbank’s third Mirvish Village walkshop on Saturday afternoon and voiced their questions and concerns about how the redevelopment could incorporate the building’s quirky and unique sense of character. Although attendees expressed mixed emotions and views on the redevelopment, the crowd collectively agreed that they valued the familiarity of Mirvish Village, its friendly community, and the bazaar-like feel that organically developed over decades as a result of the Honest Ed’s legacy.