Sharon McMillan explains how her town - Unionville, Ontario - gave New Urbanism "a great big hug" back in the 1970s, and has benefited ever since.
Locals saw a need to preserve their historic Main Street and keep the town from sprawling. They responded by launching a street festival, which McMillan says gave the community a first-hand look at the value of their historic buildings and streetscape:
"Bringing the people into the street helped to highlight for them all the things they loved about the notion of the town/village lifestyle. For example: the easy and comfortable connection with people as you pass them in the street ... the conversations had with local vendors ... the easy and manageable strolls to town and home again. It's pretty clear to see why that sense of familiarity and proximity to people and our built environments is so compelling to so many."
FULL STORY: How our town embraced New Urbanism
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Toronto Condo Sales Drop 75%
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