Combating Regent Park\'s Social Problems through Revitalization and Pathways to Education PDF

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Combating Regent Park's Social Problems through Revitalization and Pathways to Education...

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Co mb a t t i n gRe g e n tPa r k ’ sSoc i a lPr o b l e mst h r o ug hRe v i t a l i z a t i o na n dPa t h wa y st o Ed u c a t i o n

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Co mb a t t i n gRe g e n tPa r k ’ sSoc i a lPr ob l e mst hr o u ghRe v i t a l i z a t i ona n dPa t hwa y st oEd uc a t i on

Th et e r m,“ c ommu ni t yc h a n g e ”a sd e fin e db yLe e ,Ba n dT o d d ,Si sd e s c r i b e dt ob e , “ a p r o c e s so fma ki n gmo d i fic a t i o ni np o l i c i e so rp r a c t i c e si nt h ec o mmun i t yt or e d u c eo re l i mi n a t e p r o bl e ms ,p r o v i d ef o rg e ne r a li mp r o v e me n t si nt h ema nn e ri nwh i c hn e e d sa r eme t ,o rd e v e l o p r e s o u r c e sf o rt h ebe ne fitofi t sme mb e r s ”( Pa r a d a ,Ba r n o ff,Mo ffa t ta ndHo ma n ,2 0 1 1 ) .Th e Re g e n tPa r kr e v i t a l i z a t i o np r o j e c t ,a ni n i t i a t i v et or e d e v e l opo neo fCa n a da ’ so l d e s ta n dl a r g e s t p u b l i ch o us i n gc o mmu n i t i e s ,i sap r i mee x a mp l eo fLe ea n dTo d d ’ sc on c e p tb e i n gu t i l i z e di na n e x i s t i n gn e i g h b or h oo dt od a y .Wh i l eRe g e n tPa r k ’ sr e vi t a l i z a t i o np r o j e c tf o c u s e so ne l i mi n a t i n g g e n e r a li s s u e st h a tc o mmun i t yme mb e r sa sawh o l ef a c e ,c o mmu n i t y b a s e dp r o g r a m,Pa t hwa y st o Ed uc a t i o nf oc u s e so ns o l v i n gmo r es p e c i fici s s u e st h a to n l yas i n g l ed e mo gr a p hi cf a c e .I tma yb e p r e s u me dt h a tas i n g l ec h a r i t a b l eo r g a n i z a t i o na l o n ei sl i mi t e di nb e i n ga b l et oc r e a t eas i g n i fic a n t c h a n g ei ns uc hal a r g ec ommu ni t ya n dt h a tar e v i t a l i z a t i o np r o j e c tt h a twi l lbr e a kd o wna n dt he n r e b u i l dt hei n f r a s t r u c t u r eofac o mmu n i t yi si nc o mpe t e nti ns o l v i n gi t ’ sc o r es o c i a lp r o b l e ms .I , h o we v e r ,i n t e ndt oa r g uet h a twh i l et h er e v i t a l i z a t i o np r o j e c tf o c u s e sonp h y s i c a l l yr e d e v e l o pi n g t hec ommu ni t ya n dPa t h wa y st oEd u c a t i o na i mst oi n t e r n a l l yr e d e v e l opt hec ommu n i t y ,bo t h a p p r o a c h e sma i n t a i nt h es a meg o a lo fh a v i n gc o mmu n i t yp r o bl e msb ee r a d i c a t e da n di nwa n t i n g t oc r e a t el a s t i n gp o s i t i v ec h a n g e ,a si th a ss u c c e s s f u l l yp r o v e nt od os oi nRe g e n tPa r k . Lo c a t e di nt h ed o wn t o wnc o r eo fTo r o nt o,Re g e n tPa r kwa sh o met o7 , 5 0 0p e o pl er e s i d i n g i n2 , 0 8 7s o c i a lh ou s i n gu n i t sp r i o rt oi tun d e r g oi n gr e v i t a l i z a t i on( Du n n ,2 0 1 2 ) .Re g e n tPa r kwa s i ni t i a l l yb u i l to v e rs e v e n t yy e a r sa g owi t ht h ei n t e n t i o nt oh a v ei tbe c o mea“ g a r d e nc i t y , ”i n Du n n,2 0 12 ) .Th ec o mmu ni t ye v e n t u a l l y wh i c hb u i l d i n g swo u l do v e r l o o kp a r k sa n dg r e e n e r y( h o we v e r ,b e c a mei n f a mo usf o rb e i n go n eo ft h epo o r e s tn e i g h b o r h o od si nCa n a d awi t hi t s d e t e r i o r a t i n gb u i l d i n gs ,h i g hc o n c e n t r a t i o nso fg a n gv i o l e nc ea n dd r u gu s e ,a l o n gwi t hf e e b l e

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Co mb a t t i n gRe g e n tPa r k ’ sSoc i a lPr o b l e mst h r ou ghRe vi t a l i z a t i ona ndPa t hwa y st oEdu c a t i on

h e a l t hc o n d i t i on s ,p o o re d u c a t i o n a lr e s u l t sa ndne a r l ys e v e n t yp e r c e n to ft h er e s i d e n t sl i v i n g b e l o wt h el o wi n c o mec u t o ffr a t e( Du n n ,2 0 1 2 ) .Co n s e q ue nt l y ,Re g e ntPa r k ’ sn u me r o u ss o c i a l i s s u e sha v eg a i n e di tar e p u t a t i onf o rb e i n gah a v e nf orc r i mea n dp o v e r t y .Wi t ho v e rfif t yp e r c e n t o fr e s i d e n t sb e i n ga g e de i g h t e e ny e a r sol da n dy o u n g e r ,t h ec o n c e r nf o rwh a tha sa n di sc ur r e n t l y b e i n gd on et oe n s u r et h a ty o u t hi nRe g e n tPa r ka r en ol o n g e rb e i n ge x p os e dt ou n s a f e Du nn ,2 0 12 ) .Be g i n n i n gi n2 0 0 5 ,Re g e ntPa r kb e g a nt ou n d e r g ot h eRe g e n t e n v i r o n me nt sa r i s e s( Pa r kRe v i t a l i z a t i o nPl a n ,a ni n i t i a t i v eb yt h eCa n a d i a ng o v e r n me n tt or e b u i l dt hee n t i r e Du n n ,2 0 1 2 ) .Ast h eTo r o n t oCo mmu ni t yHo u s i n g n e i g h b o r h o o di nt h es p a no ffif t e e ny e a r s( p l a n st od e mo l i s ha n dr e d e v e l opt hec o mmu n i t y ,t h ep r o j e c ta l s oa i mst or e s t or eRe g e n tPa r k ’ s i ma g eno ton l yt hr ou g hr e b u i l d i n gi t si n f r a s t r u c t u r eb u tb ye l i mi n a t i n gt hes o c i a lpr ob l e msa nd s t i g maa t t a c h e dt oi ta swe l l .Ho we v e r ,t h r o u g had i ffe r e nta pp r o a c h ,t h ec o mmu n i t yi t s e l fh a s c o n t r a r i l ya l s ou s e dmo r ed i r e c tme t h o d si ns o l v i n gi t ss oc i a lc on c e r n sb yi mp l e me n t i n g c o mmu n i t y b a s e dp r o g r a mst ha ti nt e r a c tp e r s o n a l l ywi t hRe g e n tPa r kr e s i d e n t s .Al t h ou g hb o t h d e s i gn su s ed i ffe r e n ta p p r o a c h e st os o l v i n gt hec o mmu n i t y ’ su n d e r l y i n gi s s u e s ,i ti se s s e n t i a lt h a t t he ya r ei nt e r c o n n e c t e da n dwo r kt o g e t h e ri no r d e rt oc r e a t ep o s i t i v ec ha n g e . Fi l l y ,Hou s ea n dDe r( 1 9 7 6 )e x p l a i nh o wa ni s s u eo f t e na s s o c i a t e dwi t ht h epo s s i b i l i t yo f c h a n g ei sf e a r ,d i s c o mf o r ta n dr e s i s t a n c ea mo n g s tr e s i d e nt s( Pa r a d ae ta l .2 0 1 1 ) .Th e ya r g u et h a t , “ Ev e nc h a n g e st ha ta r eb e ne fic i a lc a nc a u s ed i s c o mf o r t ,s i mp l yb e c a u s et h e ya r en e w”a n dt h a t , Pa r a d ae ta l . “ ma j o rc h a n g e sa r eo f t e na c c o mp a n i e db ye v e nmo r es i g n i fic a n tdi s c o mf o r t s ”( 2 0 1 1 ) .Ast h eRe g e n tPa r kRe v i t a l i z a t i o nPl a ni n t e n dst oc h a n g et h ee n t i r ed e s i g no ft he c o mmu n i t y ,i ti st on os u r p r i s ei fr e s i d e n t sma yf e e la p p r e he n s i v eo fh a v i n gt h e i rh o me sd e s t r o y e d d e s p i t et h ef a c tt h a tt hei n i t i a t i v ea i mst oc h a n g ei tf o rt heb e t t e r .Fi l l y ,Hou s ea n dDe rg oo nt o

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Co mb a t t i n gRe g e n tPa r k ’ sSoc i a lPr o b l e mst h r ou ghRe vi t a l i z a t i ona ndPa t hwa y st oEdu c a t i on

s a yt h a twh a tc a nb ed o n et od e c r e a s et hel e v e lo ff e a ro fr e s i d e n t si st or e mi n dt h e m oft h e i mp o r t a n c ea n dt h eb e n e fit so fc h a n g e( Pa r a dae ta l .2 01 1 ) .Th er e v i t a l i z a t i o np r o j e c tp l a n st o r e l o c a t ec u r r e n tRe g e n tPa r kr e s i de n t si nd i ffe r e ntl o c a t i on sd u r i n gt h et i met ha tt h e ywo r kt o Du n n ,2 0 1 2 ) .On c et h eh o me sa r eb u i l t ,t h eo r i g i n a l b u i l dmod e r n ,b e t t e rq ua l i t yho me s( r e s i de n t swi l lb eo ffe r e dt oc o meba c ka n dl i v ei nb r a n dn e wh o me sa n dc o nd o st h a ts t i l lr e s i d ei n Du nn ,2 01 2 ) .Byr e mi n di n gt h e mt h a ta f t e rac o ur s eo ft i me ,c h a n g ewi l lh a v e t hes a mel oc a t i o n( ap o s i t i v eo u t c o me ,c o mmu n i t yme mb e r sc a nf e e lmo r ec omf o r t a b l ewi t ht h ei d e ao fc h a n g e . Re g e n tPa r kr e s i de nt ss h o ul da l s ob er e mi n d e dt h a tt h e r ea r es e v e r a lp o s i t i v es o c i a lc o n s e q u e n c e s t ha twi l lr e s u l tf r o mr e v i t a l i z a t i o n .Th epr o j e c two r k st od e s t i g ma t i z et h ec o mmu n i t yo fi t s n e g a t i v el a b e l sb yh a v i n gi tr a t h e rb ek n o wnf o rb e i n gas a f ea n df a mi l yo r i e n t e dp l a c et ol i v e . J a me sDu n n ,a u t h o ro f ,“S o c i a l l yMi x e d ”Pub l i cHo u s i n gRe d e v e l o pme n tasa De s t i g ma t i z a t i o nS t r a t e gyi nTo r o nt o’ sRe g e n tPar k ,e xp l a i n st h a tt h er e d e s i g na i mst or e d u c e I ti sho p e dt h a tt h en e wd e s i gnwi l l s t i g maa s s o c i a t e dwi t hp u bl i ch ou s i n gwh e nh es t a t e s ,“ i mp r o v es a f e t y ,‘ n or ma l i z e ’t hen e i g h b o r h o o d' sp h y s i c a la p p e a r a n c ewi t h i nt h el a r g e ru r b a n Du n n , c o n t e x t ,a n ds t i mu l a t evi b r a n tu r b a nd i v e r s i t y ,c o mme r c i a la c t i vi t y ,a nds o c i a li n t e r a c t i o n”( 2 0 1 2 ) .Du n na r g u e st h a ts o c i e t yh a sl a be l e dp u b l i ch ou s i n gc omp l e x e st ob evu l n e r a b l ea st h e y a r ea r e a st h a tg e ne r a l l yi n v i t ec r i me( Du n n ,2 0 1 2 ) .Th i sl e a d st oc o mmu n i t i e sf e e l i n gb o t hal a c k o fs a f e t ya n dun i t y .Ne i g h b or ho o d swi t hp u b l i ch o u s i n gc o mp l e x e sl i k eRe g e n tPa r kh a v eb e e n n o t e dt oh a v ea na b s e n c eo fa c c e s s i b l es t r e e t s( Du n n ,2 01 2 ) .Asac o n s e q u e n c e ,t hi sma k e sal o t o fa r e a su n s a f e ,di ffic ul tt on a v i g a t ea n dame a n st oi s o l a t i n gr e s i d e n t s( Du nn ,2 01 2 ) .Al o n gwi t h i mp r o v i n gbu i l di n g s ,t h er e v i t a l i z a t i o na l s oi n t e n d st oc r e a t es ho r t e rd i s t a n c e sb e t we e nb l o c ksa n d mo r eb i c y c l ep a t h ss ot h a tt r a v e l l i n gt od i ffe r e n ta r e a soft h en e i g h b or ho o di smor ee a s i l y

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Co mb a t t i n gRe g e n tPa r k ’ sSoc i a lPr o b l e mst h r ou ghRe vi t a l i z a t i ona ndPa t hwa y st oEdu c a t i on

a c c e s s i b l ea l o n gwi t hmo r es t r e e t l i g h t sa ndb e n c h e sf o ro p t i ma lc o mf o r t a b i l i t yf o rr e s i d e n t s ( Du n n ,2 0 1 2 ) .Asme n t i o ne di nPr o mo t i n gCo mmun i t yCh a n g e ,“ Ac r i s i s ,as u d de na n d Pa r a d ae ta l .20 1 1 ) .Da n i e l l e o v e r wh e l mi n go n s e to ft h r e a t s ,c a nb eac a t a l y s tf orc h a n g e ”( La u g h l i na n dLa u r aJ oh n s on ,a u t h o r so f ,De fin i n ga ndEx pl o r i n gPu b l i cS p a c e :Pe r s p e c t i v e so f Y ou n gPe o p l ef r o mRe g e n tPa r k ,T o r o n t o ,e mp h a s i z et h ed a n g e ra t t a c h e dt or e s i d e n t i a lb ui l d i n g s St a y i n go u to fr e s i d e n t i a lb u i l d i n g swa sa i nRe g e n tPa r kp r i o rt or e v i t a l i z a t i o n .Th e ys t a t e ,“ c o n d i t i o no fp a r t i c i p a t i n gy o ut ho r g a n i z a t i o n sd u et ot h ev i o l e n c ea n dd r u gu s et h a tc a nt a k e p l a c ei nt h eh a l l wa y s ”( La u g h l i n&J o h n s o n ,2 0 1 1 ) .Th e ye x p l a i nt h a tt h es i t u a t i o ni nt h e c o mmu n i t yb e c a mes ob a dt h a tt h e s ef o r mso fi l l e g a la c t i v i t yn o to n l yt o okp l a c eo ut d o o r s ,bu t a l s owe r en o wo c c u r r i n ga tt h ed o o r s t e pso fa p a r t me n t si nr e s i d e nt i a lb ui l d i n g s( La u gh l i n& J o h ns o n ,2 0 1 1) .Th e s ec i r c u ms t a n c e sa c ta sc r i s e st ha td r i v ec o mmu n i t yme mb e r sa l o n gwi t h o u t s i d e r st oc r e a t ec h a n g ea n de l i mi n a t ewh a ti ti st h a t ’ sp r o d uc i n gt hep r o b l e ms .An dwh i l et h e r e v i t a l i z a t i o np l a y si t sp a r ti nb r i n gi n go np os i t i v ec h a n g ei nt h ec o mmu n i t y ,c o mpa r a b l y ,i n t e r n a l c o mmu n i t yi n i t i a t i v e sp l a yas i mi l a rr o l ea swe l l . An o t h e ra p p r oa c ht oe l i c i t i n gp o s i t i v ec h a n g ei nRe g e n tPa r kh a sb e e nt h r ou g h c o mmu n i t y b a s e di n i t i a t i v e sl i k ePa t h wa y st oEd u c a t i o n .Pa t h wa y si san o n p r o fito r g a n i z a t i o n t ha ta i mst ob r e a kt h ec y c l eo fp o v e r t yi np r i o r i t yne i g h b or ho o d sl i k eRe g e n tPa r kb ywo r ki n go n e o no n ewi t hy o ut h( Ch e r n o s ,2 00 4 ) .Wh i l et h eRe g e n tPa r kRe vi t a l i z a t i o nPl a nf un c t i onswi t hi n a ne x o s y s t e m,wh i c hi n v ol v e sl a r g ei n s t i t u t i o n ss u c ha st heg o v e r n me n tb e i n gi n v o l v e d ,Pa t h wa y s t oEd u c a t i o nwo r k swi t h i nami c r o s y s t e mi nt h a ti ta d d r e s s e sp e r s o n a ls e t t i n g so fr e s i d e n t sl i k e Ch e r n o s ,2 0 0 4) .St a t i s t i c ss h o wt h a ty o u t hf r o ml o wi n c omec o mmu ni t i e sl i k e s c ho o la n dwo r k( Re g e n tPa r kh a v ea5 0 % hi g hs c h o old r op o u tr a t e( Ch e r n o s ,2 0 0 4) .Ast her e v i t a l i z a t i o np r o j e c t

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Co mb a t t i n gRe g e n tPa r k ’ sSo c i a lPr o bl e mst h r o u ghRe v i t a l i z a t i ona ndPa t h wa y st oEdu c a t i on

a i mst or e mo v et heo v e r a l ls t i g mao fp o v e r t ya n dc r i met h ec o mmu n i t ywi t h h o l d s ,Pa t h wa y s wo r k st ode c r e a s et h es t i g mao fy ou t hi ns pe c i fic ,i nt ha tt h e i rr e p u t a t i o no fs u c c u mbi n gt o n e g a t i v ei nflu e n c e swi t hi nt hec o mmu n i t yd on oth i n de rt h e i rf o c u so ne d u c a t i o n .Thi si nd on e t hr ou ght h r e ec e n t r a lme t h o ds .Fi r s t l y ,Pa t h wa y so ffe r sa l ls t u d e n t swi t hfin a n c i a la s s i s t a n c eb y p r o v i d i n gt h e m wi t h$ 4 0 0 0u po ng r a d u a t i o nt h a tg oe st o wa r d sp o s t s e c o n da r ye d uc a t i ona l o n g wi t hf a r ef o rpu b l i ct r a n s i tf o ra l lf o ury e a r so fh i ghs c ho o l( Che r n o s ,2 0 0 4) .Th i sh e l p ss u s t a i n a g a i ns tt h ei d e ao fs t u d e n t su s i n gt he i rfin a n c i a ls t a t u sa se x c u s e st on o tp r e v a i la c a d e mi c a l l y . Se c o n d l y ,Pa t h wa y so ffe ra c a de mi cs u pp o r t ,p r o v i d i n gs t u de n t swi t ht u t o r i n gs e s s i o nso nc o r e s u b j e c t sb ye d u c a t e dt u t o r sf o u rt i me sawe e kwi t h i nt h ec o mmu ni t y( Ch e r n o s ,2 0 0 4 ) .Th i s e n s u r e st ha ts t ud e n t sr e c e i v ee x t r aa c a d e mi ca s s i s t a n c ee v e ni ft h e yc a n n ota ffor dap r i v a t et u t o r . La s t l y ,Pa t h wa y sa d mi ni s t e r ss o c i a ls u p p o r ti nwh i c hSt ud e n tPa r e n tSu p p or tWor k e r sa nd me n t o r sme e twi t hs t u d e n t st wi c eawe e kt oo ffe rs u p po r tr e g a r d i n gs c h o o l ,t h eh o mea ndt he c o mmu n i t y( Ch e r n o s ,2 0 0 4 ) .Th i sa l l o wss t u d e n t st of e e lt ha tt he yh a v es ome o n et ot u r nt o r e c e i v eg ui d a nc eo np e r s o n a lp r o bl e mst ha tt h e yma yo t h e r wi s en o tr e c e i v ea n y whe r ee l s e . Ch a n g ea g e n t st h a tma n a g ePa t h wa y st oEd u c a t i o nwo r ko n eo no n ewi t hc o mmu n i t y me mb e r st od i r e c t l yp r e v e n tc r i mea n dp o v e r t yf r o mf u r t he re n s u i n gwi t h i nt h en e i g h b or ho o d . Th er e v i t a l i z a t i o np r o j e c to nt heo t h e rh a nd ,wo r k si n d i r e c t l yi ns o l v i n gt h es a mei s s u e st h r o u g h t her e d e v e l o p me nto fRe g e n tPa r k ’ si ma g ei n s t e a d.I nPr o mo t i n gCo mmun i t yCha ng e ,i ti s me n t i o n e dt h a to n eo ft her o l e so fac o mmu n i t yc h a ng ea g e nti st ha tt h e ya d v o c a t ef o re d uc a t i o n. I ti sme n t i o n e dt h a t ,“ c h a n g ea g e n t se du c a t ep e o p l ea b o utt h es p e c i a lc o n di t i o n si n c l u di n gt he h i s t o r yoft h e i rc o mmu n i t ya n dt hep r o c e s s e sofc o mmu ni t yma r g i n a l i z a t i o n ”( Pa r a d ae ta l . c o r d i n g l y ,Pa t h wa y s ’s i t e sa t t e mp tt oa c ta sp o s i t i v es p a c e sf o ry ou t hwh e r et h e yc a n 2 0 1 1 ) .Ac

6

Co mb a t t i n gRe g e n tPa r k ’ sSo c i a lPr o bl e mst h r o u ghRe v i t a l i z a t i ona ndPa t h wa y st oEdu c a t i on

r e c e i v ea d v i c eo nd e a l i n gwi t ht hen e g a t i v ef a c t o r spr e s e n ti nt h e i rc o mmun i t i e s .Co mpa r a b l y ,t h e r e v i t a l i z a t i o np r o j e c ti nt e n dst op h y s i c a l l yc o ns t r u c tpo s i t i v es pa c e ss ot h a tt he yn ol o n g e rh a v et o f a c et h es oc i a lp r o b l e msp r e s e n ti nt h e i rn e i g h b or ho o d .Th r ou ght hi spe r s o n a la p p r o a c h ,t he r e s u l to fPa t h wa y st oEd u c a t i o nb e i n gi n s t i l l e dh a sr e d u c e dh i g hs c h o o ld r o p ou tr a t e sb ya smu c h a s7 0p e rc e n t ,i n c r e a s i n gt h er a t ea twh i c hy ou t hg oo nt oc o l l e g eo ru ni v e r s i t yb yu pt o3 0 0p e r c e n t( Ch e r n o s ,2 00 4 ) .Pa t h wa y st oEd u c a t i o nc a nb ec on s i d e r e dt ob eaf or mo fa n t i o p p r e s s i o n a si ts u c c e s s f ul l yc o mb a t st h es t i g mao fy o u t hf r o mRe g e n tPa r kb e i n gi n c o mp e t e n ti na c h i e vi n ga h i ghs c ho o ldi pl oma .Th et h e or e t i c a lf r a me wo r k ,s y s t e mst h e o r y ,s t r e s s e st h ei mp o r t a nc eo fa l l s y s t e msb e i n gi nt e r c o nn e c t e da n dh a v i n gr e l a t i o n s hi p swi t ho n ea n o t h e r( Pa r a d ae ta l .2 0 1 1 ) . Pa t h wa y st oEd u c a t i o ns up p o r t st hi st h e or ya si twor k sc l os e l ywi t ho t h e rr e s o ur c e so ffe r e dwi t h i n t hec ommu ni t ywh e t h e ri ti st h r o u g hp r o v i d i n gj ob swi t h i nt h en e i g h b o r h o o do rp r o mo t i n gl o c a l e v e n t sl i k et h ea nn u a lRe g e n tPa r kFi l m Fe s t i v a l( Ch e r n o s ,2 0 0 4) .Bu ta b o v ea l l ,Pa t hwa y st o Ed uc a t i o nwo r k sc o n n e c t e dl ywi t ht h eRe g e n tPa r kRe vi t a l i z a t i o nPl a na sbo t hi n i t i a t i v e sa i mt o p r o v i d ebe n e fic i a lc h a n g ef orc o mmu ni t yr e s i d e n t s . Th eRe g e n tPa r kRe v i t a l i z a t i o nPl a n ’ so b j e c t i v ei st oa v e r tRe g e n tPa r k ’ ss o c i a li s s u e sb y t a ki n gab r o a da p p r o a c h :r e c o n s t r u c t i n gt h ei n f r a s t r u c t u r eo ft h ec o mmu ni t yi no r d e rt oc r e a t ea mo r es a f ea n dh e a l t h ye n v i r on me n t .Th ec o mmu n i t y b a s e dp r o g r a m,Pa t h wa y st oEd u c a t i o no n t heo t h e rh a n d ,i n t e nd so nr e s o l v i n gmo r ed i s t i n c tc u r r e n td a yi s s u e ss u c ha sd e c r e a s i n gt h eh i g h s c ho o ld r o p o utr a t ei nt h ec o mmu n i t ya ndp r o v i d i n gfin a n c i a la s s i s t a n c et os t ud e n t si nn e e d.Bo t h d i r e c ta n di n d i r e c ta p pr o a c h e sh o we v e r ,a r en e c e s s a r yi nc r e a t i n gc ha n g ef o rt heb e t t e rwi t hi na c o mmu n i t y .Th r o u g hb o t ho ft h ei n i t i a t i v e s ,Re g e n tPa r kh a sa n dc o n t i nu e st ob ei nt hep r o c e s so f

7

Co mb a t t i n gRe g e n tPa r k ’ sSo c i a lPr o bl e mst h r o u ghRe v i t a l i z a t i ona ndPa t h wa y st oEdu c a t i on

ma ki n gs i g n i fic a ntc h a n g e si nn o to n l ye l i mi n a t i n gt hec o r es o c i a li s s u e st hen e i g h b o r h o o df a c e s b u tr e mo v i n gt h es t i g ma sa t t a c h e dt oi ta swe l l .

Wo r k sCi t e d Ch e r n o s ,S.( 20 0 4 ) .Pa t h wa y st oEdu c a t i on[ Re g e n tPa r k ,To r o n t o ] .Ed u c a t i o nT o da y ,1 6 ( 2 ) ,1 5 17 .Re t r i e v e dMa r c h7 ,2 0 1 5 . Du n n ,J .( 2 0 1 2 ) .So c i a l l yMi x e d ”Pu b l i cHo us i n gRe de v e l o pme n ta saDe s t i g ma t i z a t i onSt r a t e g y i nTo r o nt o ’ sRe g e n tPa r k.DuBo i sRe v i e w,9 ( 1 ) ,87 1 0 5 .Re t r i e v e dMa r c h7 ,2 0 1 5 . La u g h l i n ,D. ,&J o hn s o n ,L.( 2 0 1 1) .De fini n ga nde x pl o r i n gp u b l i cs p a c e :Pe r s p e c t i v e so fy o u n g pe o p l ef r o m Re g e n tPa r k,To r o n t o .Ch i l d r e n ’ sGe o g r a ph i e s ,9 ,4 3 9 4 5 6 .Re t r i e v e dMa r c h 7,2 0 15 . Pa r a d a ,H. ,Ba r n o ff,L. ,Mo ffa t t ,K. ,& Ho ma n ,M.( 2 01 1 ) .Re s p o n d i n gt ot h eNe e df or Co mmun i t yCh a n g e .I nPr o mo t i n gCo mmu n i t yCh a n g e .To r o n t o ,On t a r i o :Ne l s o n Ed u c a t i o n .

8...