Ep 071: Ontario Place and the Importance of Third Places
Today we delve into the importance of public and free third places and how they impact your mental health. We had the pleasure of talking with filmmaker, Ali Weinstein, about this subject via a conversation around her first observational documentary, Your Tomorrow, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024.
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Your Tomorrow is about the last year in the life of Ontario Place which became a defacto public park 10 years ago after living many lives as an educational and entertainment destination. Ontario Place was a third place that acted as a refuge to a lot of Torontonians until the government decided to turn the main part of the space into a private spa and despite public process, construction began in October of 2024, a month after Ali’s documentary premiered.
For those of you who haven’t heard of third places before, it’s a sociological term that refers to the social surroundings that are separate from the two usual social environments of home ("first place") and the workplace ("second place"). Third places are "anchors" of community life and facilitate and foster broader, more creative interaction. They are spaces like churches, cafes, libraries, gyms, bookstores, gaming spaces, parks, and theatres, where people can gather, relax, and engage in meaningful interactions, which can positively impact mental health by fostering a sense of community and belonging. Third places are where we can both affirm our own identities and build empathy for identities different from our own.
In Ray Oldenburg and Karen Christensen’s 1989 book The Great Good Place, Oldenburg argues that third places are important for democracy, civic engagement, and a sense of place. In the 2023 edition, Christensen argues that third places are also the answer to loneliness, political polarization, and climate resilience.
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Music: Deppisch
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ABOUT OUR GUEST
Ali Weinstein is a documentary filmmaker from Toronto, Canada whose work often centres on people searching for community and a sense of belonging.
Her films include Mermaids (2016), The Impossible Swim (2019), and #BLESSED (2020). She is also the producer of There’s No Place Like This Place, Anyplace (2020), which was nominated for two Canadian Screen Awards and won an Audience Choice Award at the (2020) Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival.
Ali holds an MFA in Documentary Media Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University.
About YOUR TOMORROW: The TVO Original Your Tomorrow is an enchanting / lyrical observational documentary written, produced and directed by Ali Weinstein that provides an intimate portrait of Toronto’s iconic modernist waterfront park, Ontario Place, as it faces a controversial redevelopment.
Filmed over nearly 100 days in this beloved yet contested public space on Toronto’s waterfront, the film captures the final year of Ontario Place before it transforms into a private spa and waterpark.
Your Tomorrow follows a diverse cast of characters who are regulars at the park, inviting viewers to ponder the future of public spaces and what a diverse urban society needs to thrive.
Among the film’s compelling subjects are a security guard with a 40-year tenure, a pair of Taiwanese-Canadian retirees who visit daily, a swimmer and self-described “cyborg” leading year-round lake dips, and a wider community of artists, urban explorers, birdwatchers, government officials, and environmentalists. These individuals’ stories intertwine with the park’s own narrative, painting a vivid picture of a space in flux.
Originally opened in 1971 with a vision of idealism and futurism, Ontario Place was designed as a family-friendly oasis for those who couldn’t afford cottages. Over the years, it became a sprawling public park spanning 155 acres of car-free land, cherished for its unique architecture, serene environment, and vibrant community.
Now, as it stands on the brink of massive change, Ali Weinstein’s Your Tomorrow not only reflects on its rich history and uncertain future, but also emphasizes the importance of such urban spaces, while exploring the impact on the lives of its visitors and staff. The film prompts a critical discussion on urban development, community values, and the preservation of public spaces.
Your Tomorrow is written, produced and directed by Ali Weinstein, Produced by Geoff Morrison. Editor is Caitlin Duriak and Director of Photography is Andrew Moir. Composer is Joseph Shabason. Executive Producer is Robin Smith, and for TVO - Natasha Negrea - Head of Programming, and Alexandra Roberts - Commissioning Editor. The film is a Naiad Productions and Big Cedar Films production, and is presented by TVO in association with the Canada Media Fund, Telefilm Canada, and the Canada Council for the Arts, and will have a broadcast and streaming release on TVO in spring 2025.
LINKS
Website: https://www.aliweinsteinfilms.com/
Social media: Instagram
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