Vacant Land to Park Transformations as a Catalyst for Neighbourhood Change and Gentrification in Toronto, Ontario

Given the lack of vacant land in the City of Toronto, the redevelopment of available land tends to be highly contested. Stakeholders may advocate for the land to be developed as a park in order to increase social, economic and environmental services provided to residents, both at the neighbourhood scale and city-wide. However, concerns have emerged related to “green gentrification,” which is the exclusion or displacement of vulnerable populations through the creation of green amenities in marginalized neighbourhoods. Using a case study approach to three vacant land to park transformations, this thesis examines how neighbourhood change and gentrification are perceived by actors engaged in the park development process. Using historical analysis, stakeholder interviews, resident surveys and quantitative data analysis, this thesis reveals how the potential for park developments to accelerate gentrification is complex and highly politicized, and perceived more strongly on the ground than it is reflected in changes in quantitative data.M.A