A deeply personal, firsthand look at how Regent Park became a global model for inclusive urban revitalization
TORONTO, ON (November 13, 2024) – Rhythms of Change, the new book by Mitchell Cohen – social activist, musician and president and CEO of The Daniels Corporation (Daniels) – draws from Cohen’s personal reflections on the 18-year transformation of Toronto’s Regent Park, in partnership with Toronto Community Housing (TCHC). Gaining international acclaim as a groundbreaking blueprint for community-led urban transformation, Rhythms of Change offers insights for cities around the world. Recognized by UN-Habitat at the12th annual World Urban Forum in Cairo, Egypt on November 5th, Rhythms of Change also recently achieved bestseller status on Amazon, underscoring its influence and relevance.
At the book’s recent launch event, Mitchell Cohen reflected on the importance of Regent Park’s unique transformation: “For most of us, the concept of urban renewal is certainly nothing new,” he shared with the audience. “Over the years, we’ve all seen or read about urban renewal projects that reflect a heavy-handed, top-down process. The Regent Park revitalization turned that practice on its head, putting local voices and aspirations at the top of the agenda.”
The book chronicles the remarkable journey of Regent Park, Canada’s oldest and largest social housing project, originally designed in the 1940s under a “garden city” model. However, this planning approach ultimately isolated the neighbourhood, leaving it stigmatized and disconnected from surrounding areas. Through Rhythms of Change, Mitchell shares how the revitalization reversed these issues by focusing on resident rights, specifically with principles like the “right of return,” which ensured that displaced residents would have the opportunity to come back to a newly built home in their community.
“Rhythms of Change tells both a business and a political story,” Cohen explained, “but most importantly, the book tells a community story. It is about how local residents came together in the mid-1990s to envision a better future—a better quality of life for themselves, their families and their neighborhood.”