Building for People, Not Cars

Oak Park was one of the first New Urbanist communities in the Greater Toronto Area. Bringing it to fruition was a significant challenge for developer Metrontario Group, in large part due to the steep learning curve of municipal officials unaccustomed to working with alternative development standards. Eight years after sales started, the community appears to be truly coming into its own as a walkable, mixed-use neighbourhood. However, the population continues to be mostly upper-middle-class and achieving greater economic diversity may take some time, says urban planner Joe Berridge.