How+are+sidewalks+used+and+why+does+this+use+vary+so+heavily?

=The Sidewalk=

The basis of my research has been on how sidewalks are used by the city and why. Designed originally for transportation, the sidewalk becomes a lifeline through the city //for// the city. Meaning not only does it support activities of the people, but also develops naturally to accommodate the people who use it.

How does it do this? It’s quite natural, actually. People who live in a city – use the city – will alter it to cater to their needs. This need is expressed through how the sidewalk is used, and if this use is acceptable it will not be rejected, but integrated.

These uses vary, but are connected to one crucial element: walking. Each element is a derivation of the sidewalk as a space to walk. As new elements are introduced, they are “tested” by pedestrians against the sidewalk as a space to walk.

Now, how a sidewalk fares in this stage depends on how that portion of the city needs to be used. If it is an area for meandering, for shopping, for sitting, for waiting, then the sidewalk will develop differently than if it was a space for getting from work to the subway – a walk with a specific time frame and destination. The former of these two options promotes a sidewalk as a social space to be used as the people see fit, while the latter is one of business and purpose. As such it does not lend itself to any sort of social interaction.

I feel this social interaction is integral to the city, and this sort of sporadic, almost spontaneous use of the sidewalk is what makes the city alive. It is what makes the city a place of the people, not just a series of oasis of interaction between car rides. This interaction is created through play, sport, music, busking, art, a sort of marketplace created through stands or a simple sidewalk sale. These create an area for interaction, an area defined by the people who use it. Take a walk down Queen St West, and count the number of uses. You will quickly realize that only a handful serve the city, while on the most part the sidewalk serves as an area for the community around it. This is quite incredible when you think that the sidewalk was created for walking.

Walking down the street I see a series of chairs set up as an additional waiting area for the small crowded shops. I see a series of people filming, I see people biking, skating, roller blading, sitting, waiting, talking, smoking. I hear music, laughing, playing. Each and everyone one a use of the sidewalk that is not simple transportation.

This is how a sidewalk in a city should be used, however it cannot always be. But in this manner the city is connected through walking, and as such leaves it open to how it is to be used as the pedestrian comes across particular needs.

Sidewalks are used by the people and as such their specific uses are often directed by the people who use it, re-appropriating the space to their needs, and the needs of the surrounding community.
 * Statement:**

The sidewalk in the city is used by the surrounding city in ways that it seems fit. This is integral to the development of a "holistic" city and one that serves its community. More specifically the people that use it. As such, sidewalks need to be an open space throughout the city wherein transportation takes a second seat to social interaction and uses of the people. In doing this, a whole new social space will be opened up for the community, allowing for a new level of interaction with the city and other people. Going for a walk would then be a major way of experiencing the city.
 * Position:**

Pedestrian traffic has always been a concern. Since there have been roads there has been the need for walkers to interact with them, and the grid like structure they install. But relatively recently have sidewalks been a requirement for urban living: people need a way to get around their city, and they need a way to interact with their city. As such, the purpose of the sidewalk has changed to be one of exploration over transportation -- as was its original intent.
 * Background:**

To tackle the sidewalk, I decided to just go on a few walks down different downtown and other areas. Taking photos, and keeping a special eye out for how it is used. I was trying to keep a record of how many different ways the sidewalk was used, by who, and how it affected the community. In doing this, I saw how many ways people use their sidewalks. People take them, and change them to fit their needs and the needs of the surrounding community. In doing this, the sidewalk's purpose is changed to fit the people who use it. This is always happening around us, we all do it, but not until I had an eye out for this specific interaction did I realize how ingrained the sidewalk is in our lives.
 * Field Research:**

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In understanding how a sidewalk can be used to link a city together in a more social way (more than just for transportation) we understand how we can better use the sidewalk to fit its community. By encouraging people to use their sidewalk as they would any public space, we can begin to change the perceived use of the sidewalk to the community. In doing this, the sidewalk can be a more effective space in the social arena, allowing a hodgepodge of activities that better the surrounding area.
 * Opportunities:**


 * Concept Map:**

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 * Visual Essay:

Resources:** http://www.spacing.ca/ped-dylan01.htm http://www.spacing.ca/walk.htm http://www.spacing.ca/ped-yorkville.htm http://www.spacing.ca/ped-northyork.htm http://www.spacing.ca/ped-history.htm