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Initially my proposal had been to develop a public square in downtown Toronto that would bring people together and intensify daily social activities. I had created a storyboard for such a space... A group of elderly is gathered along the street edge; some watching people pass-by, some engaged in friendly conversation, others testing their wits over a board game. A teenager sits by the fountain waiting for her friends to arrive. Some students stake their territory in their own quiet corners reading their books. A mother and her child window-shop and the thirty-somethings keep themselves active on the track above. All the while, people casually seated in their patio chairs at the cafes and restaurants observe all; relaxed and entertained by their surroundings. I wanted to recreate the liveliness of the crowds in Toronto that only gather on special occasions such as Caribana, Gay Pride Parade, or Santa Claus Parade. A space that serves a multiplicity of purposes so as to attract a wide array of people, of different classes, ages, and races during a wide range of time and seasons. A space that serves as a meeting ground, as a place to relax, and as a place to be entertained. Where one can engage in passive activity, like people-watching and reading, or active activity, like shopping and exercising. Such a place would add to the identity of the city of Toronto, becoming part of the “image of the city.” It would become instilled in the memories of its citizens and become a destination for its visitors. 

Through manifesto development I narrowed this down to two sentences: When one is immersed in a central space the liveliness and excitement of the city and its people become amplified, satisfying the need for connection and interaction, which connection and interaction, which is innate to human nature. Bringing people together. This was further distilled to one word: Connection, however, this coincided with a sub-text of the word Diversity. 

The site is located between Spadina Avenue and Blue Jay Way, just South of Front Street. Blue Jay Way is very significant as a connector since it forms the processional route between the Skydome and the CN Tower with the theatre, entertainment, and restaurant districts to the North. Furthermore, the site is a booming residential community with several condominium developments along the Northern edge of the site as well as to the South and the West. These projects are all part of the Concord Cityplace and will transform the area into a high density neighbourhood adding to its already lively nature. Within close proximity of the site, there are several art installations that all relate to a past or history of Toronto that once existed. These sculptures exemplify the fact that Toronto is rich in history and culture; however, it is at times suppressed, repressed, or forgotten. Thus, Connector Space attempts to become a gathering space for not only one culture, but all the diverse culture’s of Toronto. It becomes a place where history is not hidden, but respected and commemorated. The Square then becomes branded as a cultural hub, where Toronto’s heritage and diversity is celebrated. Conventions, ceremonies, parades, and festivals of cultural significance such as Canada Day, New Year’s Eve, Caribana, Chinese New Year, etc., could incorporate Connector Space as a destination. 

Connection is achieved on multiple levels: the individual scale, the urban scale, and the cultural scale. On the individual scale, the public square brings people together, allows them to socially interact and connect (both directly and indirectly), and becomes beneficial to the individual seeking enjoyment, comfort, and relaxation. On the urban scale, Connector Space brings the city together by mending the gap in the urban fabric created by the railway lines. It thus becomes beneficial to the city as it seeks congruity and coherence of the urban structure and image. On the cultural level, Connector Space is where various cultures of Toronto and visitors to Toronto can come together, express their individuality and yet feel as one as they embrace each other’s differences. 

Connector Space is Toronto’s museum. It is a significant site in the city’s memory and a nodal point of change. Connector Space becomes the potential history and/or the probable future, in which the abrupt severing of the city due to the railway tracks is eradicated by building over and across. Connector Space represents what the city could be like if the railway tracks did not intersect and separate the city.