The growth of cities and what we classify as a place or space

In Yi-Fu Tuan’s words, space can be seen as movement, while place is considered an area of pause. This can be related to a recent article from the Toronto Star featuring the Greater Toronto Area’s vast and continuing expansion. At the present time, downtown Toronto is classified as a busy and densely populated area. Although there are always attributes of the city that are changing such as storefronts, high-rise expansions, and sporting venues, it is a place that has nearly always been the home to a busy lifestyle. It is no surprise then that the outer city and surrounding suburbs are becoming densely populated and well developed as a result. There just is not enough space for continual expansion in the downtown district, therefore builders are forced to either move up (high-rises) or out, to smaller towns such as East Gwillimbury, Ajax, Pickering, Seaton, and of course Milton.

Milton’s population in 2001 was roughly 31,500 which subsequently rose to 54,000 in the next four years. It’s proximity to the larger cities is what makes it attractive to many home buyers. Although I would consider both the city of Toronto and Milton places, simply because they are surrounded by borders which classify each as a home to those who live within them, I am sure that with the growth of these cities and the blurring of borders some people would argue the use of the word place and possibly substitute it with space. A home to me is somewhere that has a boundary whether that includes visible walls or geographic boundaries, a place that has a name or address, and also allows me to feel safe within it, regardless of its size and population. My house is my home, but my town (hometown) is also my home. I suppose my questions then are whether or not the movement outwards of population growth and development has any effect on the terms space and place? Does the size of a specific area help to define it? Does its role as a business-oriented or suburban city make any difference? Do we as individuals with separate values and interests constitute the difference between a place and a space? I think we do.

Toronto Star
March 24, 2007
East Gwillimbury, Durham set to become next GTA boom areas
By. Gail Swainson