Taylor, LauraRinaldi, Alicia2021-10-132021-10-132021-08-31Major Paper, Master of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York Universityhttp://hdl.handle.net/10315/38563The vitality of many green and public spaces is seemingly lackluster in appearance and deficient in spatial and social programming. Urban planning and design are influential of the spaces that communities make meaning in and respectively animate. Approaching planning through a community development perspective embraces community assets and the organizational capacity through which communities can actively participate in the making of their public realm. By deviating from conventional planning practices, planners can more thoughtfully address social and environmental injustices—acknowledging, respecting, and embracing diversity and difference through green and public space planning and design. This research adopts a qualitative mixed-methods approach to understand how communities are involved in the shaping of their green and public spaces as well as the mechanisms in place that support this process. Primary and secondary data were collected through two knowledge exchanges, four semistructured phone interviews, a walk-along with residents, personal site observations as well as a comprehensive review of pertinent policy frameworks, planning documents, media, and scholarly literature. Research findings revealed that people strive to make meaning in spaces. A socio-spatial study of Lawrence Heights demonstrates that green and public spaces foster social relations, human health and well-being, and are often at the intersection of community engagement and development (or lack thereof).enAuthor owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.Green spacePublic spaceSocial relationsHealthWell-beingUrban environmental designPlanningCommunity developmentEngagementEquityEnvironmental justiceEnvironmental justiceMajor paper