Mouse City 1
Posted on: October 27, 2019
March 9th, 2019
Mouse City is a model-building project run by Small Print Toronto, a registered non-profit that has run programs which empower children to tell their own stories since 2008. On March 9, 2019 the Cloverdale Common hosted the first in a series of Mouse City programs that help reimagine the Cloverdale Redevelopment through perspective of children.
In this first session, participants were presented with a blank canvass to interpret the concept of “complete communities.” Structured as a drop-in session, facilitators approached participants arriving at the event and introduced them to Mouse City asking them the question “What are your visions for a great neighbourhood at Cloverdale?”
50 people attended this first session. The event attracted a mix of ages including many older adults bringing their grandchildren, along with families with small children. Some of the creative structures that were constructed by the children included:
- Mixed-use towers (including uses such as apartments, theatres, restaurants)
- A party house
- Buildings with rooftop spaces (living roofs, mix of public and private)
- Mouse City Centre for the Arts
- Powerplant (energy generation method unknown)
- Public dancefloor
- Outdoor stage in an arts and culture park
- Waterpark
- Variety of places to live (small and large apartments, treehouse, shelter housing)
- Local food production (factory, gardens)
- Hotel