Over the last century, Toronto’s extensive ravines have been adapted as flood plains, used as infrastructure corridors and simultaneously embraced as parks. In a period of massive growth and urbanization these fragile natural parklands now play an increasingly important role in the Toronto’s future sustainability and livability. Robert Burley spent four years photographing these public spaces while exploring their history, rich biodiversity, connection to the city, and how they are used by Torontonians. The result is the recently published, An Enduring Wilderness: Toronto’s Natural Parklands (ECW PRESS 2017), featuring Burley’s photographs along with texts by some of Canada’s most celebrated writers. Burley will speak about this project and the role photography plays in a dialogue about our complex relationship to nature in the city. He will then join a conversation with Arlen Leeming and Jane Weninger.

Copies of the book Enduring Wilderness will be sold by Another Story after the talk.

This event is part of the CONTACT Photography Festival – Accidental Parkland Exhibition and Events

Robert Burley

As an artist working in photography, Robert Burley has sought to describe and interpret the built environment in which he lives. His work often explores the transition between city and country and over a forty-year career, he has undertaken numerous urban landscape projects including explorations of the urban shorelines of the Great Lakes, Chicago's O'Hare Airfield and, as part of the larger commission Viewing Olmsted, New York City's Central Park. His work is collected by museums around the globe including the National Gallery of Canada, Musée de l’Elysée, George Eastman Museum, Canadian Centre for Architecture, and Musée Niépce. His publications include, An Enduring Wilderness: Toronto’s Natural Parklands (2017), The Disappearance of Darkness: Photography at the End of the Analog Era (2012), and Viewing Olmsted: Photographs by Robert Burley, Lee Friedlander and Geoffrey James (1996). Robert Burley lives in Toronto with his family and currently is associate professor at Ryerson University’s School of Image Arts.

Arlen Leeming, respondent

Arlen Leeming is a conservation and engagement expert with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and The Living City Foundation. With over a decade of experience managing environmental initiatives at a regional, national, and international level; Arlen has identified, developed, and implemented solutions to key environmental challenges across multiple sectors. At TRCA, his projects focus on the implementation of watershed management initiatives that maintain a strong emphasis on stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, technical implementation, and community based connections. Most recently, he led the team that launched The Meadoway, an $85 Million revitalization of a transmission corridor in Scarborough that will connect downtown Toronto to Rouge National Urban Park and will become one of the longest linear greenspaces in Canada. Arlen holds a Masters of Environment and Sustainability from Western University, is an accomplished pilot, and is a Director of an international charitable organization that focuses on sustainability initiatives in developing countries, and is the Chair of the Natural Environment Committee with the Scarborough Community Renewal Organization. 

Jane Weninger, moderator

Jane Weninger is a senior planner with Toronto City Planning where she is responsible for greenspace and environmental planning policy. Jane develops and implements policy to protect greenspace and natural heritage in Toronto, including designation of Environmentally Significant Areas and the Toronto Ravine Strategy. She has worked extensively with TRCA and  provincial policies including the Greenbelt Plan and the Growth Plan.  Jane also represents the City of Toronto in the establishment of the Rouge National Urban Park. Jane and Robert collaborated on the Enduring Wilderness book project which was commissioned by the City of Toronto.  Jane is also a contributing author.  Part of the impetus for the book was Jane's work on environmentally significant areas – which are predominantly located in valley and ravines and along the waterfront - and wanting to communicate and celebrate the importance of these areas.