By Fizza Qasim
Field Notes — June 2026
Fizza Qasim, a Master’s of Urban Planning Student at Toronto Metropolitan University and an academic intern at Pedestrian Space in 2026, records about the underutilized hydro green space at Scarborough Centre on a weekend afternoon, looking at pedestrian and cycling access along the corridor trail (June 2026)
Scarborough’s hydro corridors, the public green space running beneath transmission towers, are some of the most underutilized spaces in the city. While projects like the 16 km Meadoway are beginning to transform these corridors into parks, trails, and urban farms, a critical question remains: are these spaces actually serving the communities around them?
Scarborough is one of Toronto’s most diverse and underserved suburbs. More than 70% of its population is marginalized, a quarter of households don’t own a car, and food bank usage increased by 112% between 2022 and 2023. For many residents, access to fresh food, safe walking and cycling routes, and usable green space is not guaranteed.
This video, in particular, was filmed at the Scarborough Centre hydro corridor in June 2026, looking at pedestrian and cycling access along the trail. It is the first of several site visits that will investigate whether Scarborough’s hydro corridors are living up to their potential and form part of a short documentary and research paper produced through my internship with Pedestrian Space.
Fizza is a Master of Planning in Urban Development student at Toronto Metropolitan University. Through her academic and professional experience, Fizza has developed a strong interest in advancing environmental sustainability alongside community development. Beginning in May 2026, she will undertake an internship focused on active transportation, green spaces, and the enhancement of public spaces. During her internship with Pedestrian Space, she will research and produce a short documentary examining projects across Toronto’s hydro greenspace corridors, with a focus on improving the design and implementation of trails, cycling infrastructure, and community gardens.
Read more about Fizza’s work during her Pedestrian Space internship here: https://pedestrianspace.org/tag/fizza-qasim/
Learn more about academic internships at Pedestrian Space here