Last summer I began updating my 2010 book “Stroll: Psychogeographic Walking Tours of Toronto” for an expanded new edition. For the original, I walked the city and wrote about what I saw, the people I talked to, the architecture, urban design and dug into Toronto history in 31 chapters from downtown to the city limits. Psychogeography is a way of exploring and understanding the city by wandering and looking at it critically. I wanted readers to fall in love with Toronto, but also know it can be much better.
As I started walking up Yonge Street from Lake Ontario, I sensed trouble: I knew Toronto had changed in 14 years, but only in updating the book did I realize the magnitude. I was shocked, even though it’s my job to pay attention to the city.