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Abstract

Mixed-use spaces, which is having various land uses near home, are increasing in several neighborhoods of Toronto as a solution to some issues, such as affordability and increasing a sense of community. The data about the residents’ experience in a formal and informal mixed-use space identifies the residents’ community building, and it provides an initial understanding if mixed-use spaces are a viable planning option for the future. To analyze the concept of community building and mixed-use spaces, a lens of the urban dimension of trust is beneficial, as it focuses on the relational experiences that residents have in the spaces, through the act of interacting by trusting other residents, which can lead to community building. Planners, architects, developers, and neighborhood associations impact the ways in which the relations in these spaces form. To fully understand the dynamics, a trust-related concept, which is authority, is also necessary to note the power relations that can influence the residents’ community building in their neighborhoods. This study reveals the importance of planning city spaces based on the residents’ needs since they live in these areas, and it provides new insights on the links between the urban dimension of trust, mixed-use neighborhoods, and community building.