People In Walkable Communities Are Happier: Study

A recent study published in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life found that residents of walkable communities report higher levels of social engagement and trust in their communities.

From USA Today article:

The researchers scored 700 residents of three communities in New Hampshire on measures of "social capital" such as socializing with friends, civic engagement and trust in their community. They found those in neighborhoods with higher Walk Score ratings reported being happier and healthier and more apt to volunteer, work on community projects or simply entertain friends at home.

Urban transit and walkable community planning must be two of the highest priorities for municipalities such as Toronto which makes this current rhetoric of "ending the war on the car" so damned counter-productive.

Tower Renewal in Toronto

Spacing magazine is running an article today on tower renewal in the city of Toronto.

With a new report, Tower Neighbourhood Renewal in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, there's a sign the province is taking an interest in fixing the Toronto region's many highrise neighbourhoods, even as Rob Ford's crew seems to be dismissing the idea.