Submitted by Melanie Swailes on behalf of the BCA Development and Transportation Committee
Who Was Jane Jacobs? What Are “Jane’s Walks”?
In 1961, Jane Jacobs (1916-2006) published her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities. That’s about the same time that the community of Brentwood was just being planned, and two years before the Brentwood Community Association was established. Yet even now, 62 years later, that book is still relevant. The New York Times has written that this book is “Perhaps the most influential single work in the history of town planning.”
So, who was Jane Jacobs?
Jane was an urban activist and writer who revolutionized the urban planning profession through her observations and writings about how cities function. She spent a lot of her time observing people, interactions, and neighbourhoods, and coined the phrases “eyes on the street” and the “ballet of the sidewalk”.
“Eyes on the street” meant that everyone felt safe because the presence of a crowd protected everyone. The intricate “ballet” meant that many people interact in many different ways, but somehow come together in an orderly whole. Jane had the ability to see a neighbourhood in a practical and different way from what was common at the time.
The amazing aspect of Jane’s influence was that she initially did not have any formal training in planning and yet became an effective, well-known spokesperson for communities. In New York, Jacobs organized successful community battles against powerful opposition and in Toronto she helped prevent the construction of an expressway that would have divided several neighbourhoods in Toronto.
What are Jane’s Walks and why are they held?
Jane’s Walks are free neighbourhood walking tours led by volunteers who are passionate about their communities. The Walks take place in May, in Calgary and around the world, as a means of remembering Jane Jacobs and her legacy by connecting to our own neighbourhood and seeing things in a new or different light.
When/what/where?
In 2023, the Walks will be held from Friday, May 5 to Sunday, May 7, at varying times on each of the three days. Check https://janeswalk.calgarycommunities.com/join-a-walk/ for details.
Under the “Join a Walk” heading, you can search for walks by location, date, time of day, theme, accessibility, and quadrant of the City. You don’t have to sign up; just show up at the start location and time.
The Walks tend to be small groups, so there is a chance for conversations and questions. Jane’s Walks are a great chance to tour a new neighbourhood or area that you’re not familiar with, or to gain a new perspective on your own area. Past Walks have featured walks on Nose Hill, a downtown public art walk, a tour of Chinatown, historical tours, and so on. The volunteer tour leaders have a wide range of interests and backgrounds, but all are passionate about the tours that they lead!
In Brentwood, there will be a tour starting from the Brentwood Community Association building, stopping at Nose Hill Library, taking a look at the changes happening at Northland Mall, and then returning to the Northland Plaza (near the bank), where the original proposal was far different from what is there today. Interested? Check out the website above and also the BCA website at www.brentwoodcommunity.com for more details.
If you’d like to learn more, check out some books about Jane Jacobs from the Calgary Public Library. There is even a version for kids: Walking in the City With Jane: A Story of Jane Jacobs by Susan Hughes (2018). Or if you prefer a DVD, check out Citizen Jane: Battle for the City (2017).
Jane’s Walks are an interesting way to learn more about your city, so join in on a walk … or two … or three!
If you are interested in community planning and redevelopment issues, we welcome new members to join us. We meet at 7:00 pm on the first Monday of every month in the Sportsplex Boardroom. Contact the BCA for more information at [email protected] or at 403-284-3477.
Click here to the Brentwood Community News home page for the latest Brentwood community updates.
