There have been many discussions in the CCE office in the last week since Jack Layton’s death about his impact on the city, the country, and about the marvellous thing that happened at Nathan Phillips Square this week. In an incredible display of civic engagement, the entire square has been transformed into a memorial:

The square has become Toronto’s memorial space. It has been a place for people from all over the city, from many groups and languages, to come together to share and mark their sorrow and joy, their determination and their hopes.

It has rained many times this week, removing all of the chalk. Each time, messages fill the square again within a few hours.

This is one of the many functions of a city’s public square. It provides a space for us to come together when we need to, whether we need a place to stand up and be counted or to bend down and write a message for a loved one.

If you have a chance, we encourage you to visit Nathan Phillips Square this week to read the messages there. They will tell you all you need to know about Toronto’s civic engagement, unity in diversity, and determination to keep working for a better Toronto and a better Canada.