Street Cred

#CityTalk: Senegal's African renaissance

#CityTalk international hears from Senegalese-Gambian journalist Aisha Dabo at the African Press Agency about the controversy surrounding the construction of the African Renaissance Monument in Dakar, Senegal. Dabo is a resident of Ouakam, a suburb of Dakar situated right next to the monument, where loss of electricity is common while spotlights keep the statue illuminated 365 days a year.

#CityTalk: Barcelona's Ramblas (2 of 2)

Part 2 of 2. #CityTalk goes for a walking tour of La Rambla with Xavi Masip from Amics de la Rambla (Friends of La Rambla in Catalan). From Plaza Catalunya to the Mediterranean Sea and all places in between, hearing about the issues needed to be addressed to make La Rambla a better walking experience in Barcelona, Spain.

#CityTalk: Barcelona's Ramblas (1 of 2)

This week #CityTalk goes international. In this edition, #CityTalk hears from Xavi Masip from Amics de la Rambla (Friends of La Rambla in Catalan) a group working to improve La Rambla, which is a series of pedestrianized streets frequented by tourists and locals alike in Barcelona, Spain. Part 1 of 2.

#CityTalk: From Overdale to Underdale

This week #CityTalk hears from Montreal blogger/journalist Kristian Gravenor about his time living in downtown Montreal's storied Overdale district. Land developers fought Overdale residents and urban conservationists in the 1980s to demolish the block and build a condo project, which came to be known as Underdale. Both sides lost and today this former residential district still stands as a parking lot. The only remnant of the district which remains is the Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine house on Overdale Avenue.

#CityTalk: Montrealers of yesterday, today and tomorrow

This week #CityTalk hears from Ecomusée du fier monde director René Binette about a new exhibit at the museum. It's dedicated to Montrealers engaged in their communities called "Citizens - yesterday, today and tomorrow." The Ecomusée du fier monde celebrates the working class history of Centre-Sud, a district in downtown Montreal, dating from the industrial revolution up until today.

#CityDoc: Operation Park Avenue

#CityDoc: Operation Park Avenue is an interactive citizen-led urban design workshop looking at the northern sector of Park Avenue in Montreal (Van Horne to Jean Talon). The workshop brought residents, students and community groups together to propose a plan to the city of how to re-imagine the streetscape in an area slated for redevelopment. The event took place at Cafe L'Artere in Montreal's Villeray--Saint-Michel--Parc-Extension borough, but included participants and city officials from surrounding boroughs. Featuring Operation ave du Parc organizer Sasha Dyck, City of Montreal urban planning specialist Annie Laurin, and McGill urban planning student Armi De Francia.

#CityTalk: Hotel Jolicoeur

This week #CityTalk goes to the corner of Papineau and Ontario Streets, a once seedy area in Montreal's Centre-Sud district. As the neighbourhood changes, a group of 30 artists known as the Hotel Jolicoeur collective, named after a former brothel turned into condos, are self-publishing a book on the once derelict building. The Hotel Jolicoeur collective launched a video campaign to raise funds for this book project, which gives viewers a glimpse inside the brothel before condo conversion.

#CityTalk: Montreal's Gay Village

This week #CityTalk hears from McGill University urban sociology professor Donald Hinrichs about his new book "Montreal's Gay Village: The story of a unique urban neighborhood through the sociological lens." In the past, Montreal's gay village was located near Peel and Ste-Catherine St, in what is now the downtown shopping district. Today's gay village extends along Ste-Catherine St. East from Berri to Papineau streets. Now, members of Montreal's gay community say there's an exodus to Mile End in the Plateau.

#CityTalk: The Other Montreal

This week #CityTalk hears from L'Autre Montreal Executive Director Mychele Fortin. This urban collective of explorers offer unique guided tours in Montreal, mainly in French and occasionally in English. From the waves of immigration to hit St-Laurent Boulevard (The Main) to this weekend's tour of women pioneers who built Montreal into the cultural metropolis it is today, L'Autre Montreal seeks to share the alternative history of this city. The one you won't often read about in history books.

#CityTalk: Couchsurfing Montreal

This week's #CityTalk looks into Montreal's ranking as the fourth top Couchsurfing city in the world. Montreal trails Paris, London and Berlin as the city with the largest network of couchsurfers. Lena Reckewerth is a German who has couchsurfed across Canada and now calls Montreal home. Montreal's Couchsurfing network offers everything from language classes to pub nights as a way to experience the city and meet other travelers.