Our project looks at the Watson St. Laneway in Mount Pleasant with the goal of recreating the space to better accommodate the changing demography of the community, as the population of young people is growing. To help address the issues facing this community we look to transform the space through five focus areas: (i) greenery, (ii) surface improvement, (iii) shelter & gathering spaces, (iv) lighting, and (v) garbage management. These focus areas guided our development of solutions to create an integrated vision for a space that would revitalize the alley (currently a space for parked cars and garbage) into one for people and connections that will foster community building. 

There is not only a growing population in this area, but it is home to many businesses, with a collection of cafes and restaurants occupying the commercial areas along Main Street. Ninety percent of Mount Pleasant residents are renters, and there is a need for accessible spaces where the community can gather that are open to all without an added cost. With the growing population living in apartments, there is a need for public spaces that provide an area to socialize and interact outside the home. With these considerations in mind, we worked to create a space that would create value for residents while not threatening the business community.