Pat Capponi is an author, with five works of non-fiction and two mysteries to her credit.

Her writing, and her life, revolve around those living in poverty, as the lead facilitator with Voices from the Street, as a steering committee member of 25 in 5, and as an appointee to the Social Assistance Review Advisory Council. Capponi is a psychiatric survivor, and a woman who has experienced profound poverty and exclusion. Her perspective is from the ground up; she believes change is possible, and certainly necessary. Toronto has to do better by those who haunt our streets and drop-ins, Pat declares, and those living in poverty can tell us how.

She writes:

“Not so long ago, walking was the only alternative to staying in place. The price of a TTC ticket was too high, even just one way. I simply didn’t have the money to spend on this luxury. Walking hungry and cold and tired, walking on blisters or untreated corns, walking weighed down by hopelessness and despair was never much fun, watching as buses roared past, filled with people with options, with lives.

“Now the price of a one-way fare is up to $3, we’ve removed public transit as a possibility for far too many. Three dollars can be the difference between eating and going hungry."

Comments on whether to cover Gardiner Expressway with a green roof on thestar.com:

“I recently returned from a trip to New York City, where they’ve saved an elevated train track that was to be torn down. Instead of tearing it down, they embraced and made public space and walkways at the High Line. Wow, it is spectacular. Only half of the walkway is finished but the views of the surrounding streets, the Hudson River and the old factories are amazing.”

“Let’s preserve it because it works. There is no better solution short of putting it underground.”

“Boston’s Big Dig may have been costly, but it is a success and 50 years from now nobody will remember how much it costs but will be thankful it is not hovering over the city like the Gardiner does to Toronto.”

What kind of city do we want to live in — and how should we get there? We’ve asked dozens of people to offer their ideas on how to make our community more livable, more successful and more just. They are posting their suggestions on the Your City, My City blog. We also want to hear from you. Sign on to www.thestar.blogs.com/yourcitymycity and join the debate.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Read more about: