A few months ago I entered the glorious world of motherhood.  While the first couple months were a bit of a blur, sleep has finally become more common and there are refreshing moments of rational thought.  Some of these thoughts surround the urban environment and what it’s been like navigating the same neighbourhood and city as a parent with baby in tow instead of as an individual. The stroller has become central to this navigation and days filled with lovely walks.  I also use a baby carrier, but it was simply too hot much of the summer to do so and the stroller includes a space for groceries without breaking my fragile back.  It is a must for multi-tasking and doing everything by foot.   I get some exercise and sanity, my little one gets some fresh air every day, I can walk with other moms and share our experiences, the neighbourhood businesses get frequent patronage, my husband doesn’t have to spend his evenings and weekends doing errands and our car makes many less trips meaning everyone on the road benefits.  Generally, the experiences have been fantastic.  The majority of small businesses include employees and customers who rush to assist in opening doors and sharing the odd bit of advice about parenting.

[flickrslideshow acct_name="spacing" id="72157626470839628"] I was recently in South Beach, Miami and having been to Florida a number of times, I was pleasantly surprised by how this area differs from the stereotyped remainder of the State.   A few things in particular were worth noting as examples of what this area has really done well.  Of course the enjoyment of public space is always easier in fair weather, but even given that natural advantage, as you stroll around this area it's clear that South Beach has taken a number of strategies that planners dream about, and has run with them. Here are my five favourite things about South Miami Beach: 5.                  Useable park space Lummus Park is a 100 metre wide swath of green space that runs for 9 blocks long and separates the bustling Ocean Drive from the beach.  Contained within this linear green space are a number of useable areas including work-out space or playgrounds for grown-ups. Volley-ball courts also line this space between the road and the beach.  In my opinion, in an urban setting, the more usable the green space is - the better, and that includes not forgetting that kids aren’t the only ones who like to play outside.

[caption id="attachment_5082" align="alignnone" width="580" caption="Charlottetown 3 kms from city centre: nary a fence in sight"][/caption] Do good fences really make good neighbours? We’re into the depths of winter and for those of us who love being outside without 14 layers of clothing puttering about in their gardens, spring is just around the corner. The planning profession is well represented in Spacing's readership, so I suspect that many others share my love of lists and ‘projects’ including improvements to outdoor spaces. Now is the time for staring longingly out to the yard/patio/balcony with hands wrapped around a big mug of hot liquid in lieu of the summer time beer. So what project is being pondered for my own back yard that might hold larger implications, you ask? Well – that project would be fencing. There is a chain link fence that wraps around two lot lines of our rear yard. Not the most attractive feature, although it does have certain advantages such as transparency and durability. I can only assume that the fence was erected as part of a larger project by the former owners that included gates on the other side and enclosed the yard so as to allow the numerous pets to hang around outside. The intent of the fence was to “wall in”.

Erin O’Connell is an urban planner who has worked in both the private and public sectors. She enjoys thinking about urban design, cycling to work, and wandering around her local hood. Let’s assume that most people enjoy interacting with their neighbours, and more generally, that people enjoy watching other people. Yes, there are some people who prefer to live without interaction with their immediate community (but perhaps interact with their on-line communities) but, for most people, spontaneous daily interaction is one of the joys of living in a neighbourhood. The last house we lived in had a front porch. It wasn’t exactly functional; its stairs were oriented towards the side of the dwelling, it served as the entrance for two separate units, and it was the storage area for a several pairs of recycling bins. But once in a while I’d find myself sitting out there on the steps watching the passers-by and waving at the others doing the same on the street. Not a lot of thought was given to this particular part of the house. Last year we moved to a new place, where there are grand renovation plans down the line, but currently no front porch. Well, to clarify, there is a small landing area between the ground and the front door, but not enough room to perch a chair or tables or do anything except enter and exit the house. In the all-too-common "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality, I can’t help but look around to my neighbours to see how they have modified their homes over the years and note the resulting patterns of use.