Author: Chau Nguyen

From e-scooter networks to innovative study spaces, 30 students of Grade 11 and 12 from R.H. King Academy in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) brought fresh perspectives to York University’s Keele campus design through an innovative urban planning workshop. 

In a collaborative initiative between York University’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change (EUC), the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), and Ontario’s Specialist High Skills Major Program (SHSM), around 30 health and wellness students from R.H. King Academy visited York University’s campus on February 11, 2025, for an interactive workshop on reimagining third spaces and urban care. The event featured expert guidance from a panel including EUC professors Teresa Abbruzzese and Mahtot Gebresselassie, along with Master in Environmental Studies (MES) Planning students Daniel Martino and Angelica Eccles. 

The event, titled “Discovering Third Spaces on York University’s Campus,” aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 11 for sustainable cities and communities. The workshop also embodied EUC’s mission and values, as the Faculty aims to integrate environmental and urban studies to address real-world challenges through experiential learning and community engagement.  

Professor Teresa Abbruzzese, program coordinator for Cities, Regions, Planning, emphasized the event’s broader impact: “When I think of what a program like this could offer, it is for students to understand that when it comes to addressing global challenges, particularly urban challenges, we need creative thinking. Problem solving requires interdisciplinary thinking and creative solutions, and with SHSM, we could show them different approaches in ways of thinking to address these challenges.” 

“We (came to York University) because we wanted (our students) to learn more about what urban care actually means to our community spaces,” explained Shelly Mohamed, the SHSM coordinator and lead for experiential learning at R.H. King Academy. “Another key aspect was learning to navigate social spaces without technology, which we’ve become so dependent on.” 

The day began with a thought-provoking lecture by Abbruzzese titled “Libraries as Sites of Care and Maintenance in the Smart City.” The lecture explored how public spaces like libraries serve as vital “third spaces” in smart cities. Drawing from Jane Jacobs’ influential work and using the Toronto Public Library as a case study, Abbruzzese challenged students to think critically about how urban spaces can better serve their communities. 

Following the lecture, students were tasked with an ambitious investigation prompt: to design an accessible and easy-to-navigate York University campus while envisioning third spaces that foster inclusivity, well-being, and community engagement. To learn more about York University, they then embarked on a campus-wide scavenger hunt, navigating their way through York’s distinctive landmarks — from the iconic Vari Hall to the futuristic Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence — all without using technology.  

“I thought that this program was super useful because the lecture at the start was very informative, and I really like the scavenger hunt because I got to look at the campus. I really like the program overall,” said Binisha Simkhada, one of the student participants. 

After the scavenger hunt, students were divided into five groups and took on the role of urban planners to develop proposals for making York’s campus more inclusive and user-friendly. Using the supplies provided, students could either hand-draw their designs or create digital presentations using Canva –– both approaches resulted in visually compelling proposals that were evaluated by the panel of experts.  

One standout project focused on campus accessibility, catching the attention of Professor Mahtot Gebresselassie. 

“I do research about accessibility of transportation and I also incorporate it into my teaching, and one of the exercises we do in my Transportation Policy and Planning course is to audit the university campus, essentially to do exactly what the students did this afternoon — to determine what is and isn’t accessible, and to recommend solutions to the problem they identify,” said Gebresselassie.  

While Gebresselassie was particularly impressed by the group focusing on accessibility, which aligned with her own research, she also noted other innovative proposals. Among these was the work of students Yoyada Tareke and Binisha Simkhada, who developed a proposal for e-transportation options on campus.  

Another innovative concept came from students Faeezah Kabir and Aksha Kugathas, who designed a dedicated space where students could eat and study simultaneously. 

“I think the event is very informative and very helpful for students who are now planning on going to university,” said Faeezah Kabir, whose project focused on designing a space where students could eat and study simultaneously. “Personally, I think it really helps us with critical thinking, especially for people who are trying to go into health and wellness when they are talking about the environmental sector, or for doctors as well — I want to be a doctor when I get into university. So overall, I think this is a very informative event and I think there should be more of these!” 

Kabir’s call for more events like this resonated with Brittany Giglio, recruitment & liaison officer at EUC: “This is exactly why EUC runs these events — to bridge the gap from awareness to post-secondary education by supporting reach-ahead learning and providing experiential opportunities. Building strong partnerships with GTA high schools is essential, as these students are the future of our university.”