Saving the North American City

My recent research on Yonge Street has been all about efforts to remake, revitalize, and “save” downtown Toronto from perceived urban decline. The idea that our cities need saving has been around since at least the industrial era, and it continues to have relevance today. I recently came across a tv series project called Saving the City that looks at the successes and failures of different cities that have attempted to remake themselves, especially in the 20th century. It’s by the same team that produced the critically acclaimed Saving the Bay series about San Francisco (narrated by Robert Redford). I’m particularly happy to see Canadian cities like Toronto and Vancouver considered alongside their American neighbours–I think the similarities and differences in their histories are really worth looking into.

Visit the series website for more info and some preview videos.