Today we lost one of the few idols in my life---Jane Jacobs. Urban planning genious. Author of my all time favourite piece of non-fiction, The Death and Life of Great American Cities. A New Yorker who transplanted herself in Toronto's Annex District in 1969, she was a trailblazer against the bulldozer. A lover of neighbourhoods in their most genuine, organic form. A staunch opponent of thoughtless development rooted in the almighty buck. And perhaps most important of all, an idealist with great faith in the strength of individuals and their ability to collectively make a difference in the world around them.
She was a rebel with a cause and I'm glad she graced our planet.
Bye neighbour.
