How Toronto's Chief Planner Prepared Her Children to Walk Alone to School

Toronto Chef Planner Jennifer Keesmaat describes how she prepared her children for an old-fashioned commute to and from school.

2 minute read

September 7, 2016, 1:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Kids Crossing the Street

Vaclav Mach / Shutterstock

"Toronto's chief planner, Jennifer Keesmaat, says her daughter Alexandra, now 14, started walking to school on her own at age 9."

So goes the caption on a photo of the Keesmaats to introduce an op-ed by the elder Keesmaat, explaining why she believes her daughter should walk alone. That idea isn't foreign to some of us, but it's growing rarer in today's world.

Here Keesmaat lends some historical context to her op-ed:

When I was a kid, no one really thought twice about walking to school unaccompanied by an adult. It was just the way we got to school, full stop. Neighbourhood kids skipped along our local streets. Historical data bears this out: a generation ago 58 per cent of children walked to school, but today, that number has dropped to 28 per cent.

According to Keesmaat, experts pinpoint the age of nine as a good threshold for children to walk alone, and that's the age Keesmaat chose for Alexandra. Keesmatt's son Luis will begin walking to school alone when he reaches the age of nine.

Keesmaat talks about the preparation and the fear that accompanies the decision to let he children walk alone. And for the record, her "greatest fear has been that my kids might get hit by a car. I can teach them street smarts, but it’s unfair that they have to contend with people driving too fast, and too carelessly." 

Sunday, August 28, 2016 in The Toronto Star

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

July 10 - The Markup

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?

The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

July 10 - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial of rainbow painted crosswalks at large intersection in Castro District, Sna Francisco, California.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts

Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.

July 10 - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA