Exploring Toronto: A Guide to 28 Unique Public Spaces

A full-colour guide to dozens of unique outdoor spaces that highlight Toronto as a sustainable, liveable city.

Toronto is rich in public spaces ― deeply incised ravines, lively neighbourhoods, lush gardens and parks, iconic bridges, even repurposed industrial silos and undercrofts of elevated highways. Urban designer Ken Greenberg and Toronto aficionado Eti Greenberg have combed the city on foot and by tandem bike, discovering some of Toronto’s best outdoor public spaces.

In Exploring Toronto, they have gathered twenty-eight of their favourite spots, each offering something unique ― a flash of ingenious design, a surprise vantage point, or simply relief from the hum of traffic. Ken and Eti bring their distinctive perspective, informed by years of work in urban design, to each of their choices, providing readers (and explorers) with the full story of the history, design, and appeal of each one-of-a-kind place.

Ken Greenberg is an urban designer, writer, and former Director of Urban Design and Architecture for the City of Toronto. He is a Member of the Order of Canada and received an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Toronto for his advocacy in revitalizing public spaces and promoting urban sustainability. He is the author of Walking Home: The Life and Lessons of a City Builder and Toronto Reborn: Design Successes and Challenges.

Eti Greenberg has managed Toronto’s Euclid Cinema, acted as an art dealer, worked for two Toronto city councillors, taught Tai Chi, and was a Shiatsu and acupuncture therapist. She is passionate about Toronto and walks everywhere, while also discovering new places via tandem bike and kayak.