Defining and exploring public space: perspectives of young people from Regent Park, Toronto

Inner city public housing figures prominently on the urban regeneration agenda. Regent Park, Toronto, Canada's largest and oldest public housing development, is in the midst of a 15-year, billion dollar revitalisation plan involving extensive physical and social changes. This paper explores how Regent Park's young people define and value public space and compares this with the revitalisation plan. Findings reveal that contemporary principles guiding public housing renewal do not match how young people interpret public space. The qualities blamed for public housing failure, like physical and social isolation, are identified as valuable attributes of local public spaces.