If, as is commonly reported, actor Peter Ustinov described Toronto as "a kind of New York operated by the Swiss," what was he seeing? A metropolis born of successful civic planning or a jumbled kaleidoscope of differing visions and plans put in place over a time of unprecedented expansion? According to historian Richard White, it was a little of both. Planning Toronto takes a close look at planning in and around Toronto through the critical years 1940 to 1980 and asks whether, and if so how, planning contributed to making it a functional, world-class urban centre. The question is not whether the city’s plans were good or bad, but whether they made a difference. And the answer is that they did. Not all plans, at all times, by any means, but several plans, or perhaps more correctly planning programs, had considerable impact. Based on a meticulous reading of plans and supporting documents, and supplemented by dozens of interviews with participants, Planning Toronto offers the first comprehensive history of Toronto’s postwar planning. Generously illustrated, the book covers planning at all levels – neighbourhood, city, metropolitan, and regional – and the discussion ranges from a close analysis of individual plans – their intellectual roots, contents, and implementation – to a broader discussion of the international context in which these plans were conceived. The impact, or "legacy," of the major planning programs is assessed at the end of each chapter. The relevance of this book extends beyond Toronto to the many other cities touched by postwar plans and planning ideas. It also speaks to the future of Toronto and whether it can reclaim its reputation, now somewhat tarnished, as a "city that works." | Planning Toronto by Richard White, Hardcover | Indigo Chapters