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POST-INDUSTRIAL URBAN GREENSPACE ECOLOGY, AESTHETICS AND JUSTICE This book ofers original theoretical and empirical insight into the social, cultural and ecological politics of rapidly changing urban spaces such as old factories, rail yards, verges, dumps and quarries. These environments are often disregarded once their industrial functions wane, a trend that cities are experiencing through the advance of late capitalism. From a sustainability perspective, there are important lessons to learn about the potential prospects and perils of these disused sites. The combination of shelter, standing water and infrequent human visitation renders such spaces ecologically vibrant, despite residual toxicity and other environmentally undesirable conditions. They are also spaces of social refuge. Three case studies in Milwaukee, Paris and Toronto anchor the book, each of which ofers unique analytical insight into the forms, functions and experiences of post-industrial urban greenspaces. Through this research, this book challenges the dominant instinct in Western urban planning to “rediscover” and redevelop these spaces for economic growth rather than ecological resilience and social justice. This book will be of great interest to students and researchers of urban planning, ecological design, landscape architecture, urban geography, environmental planning, restoration ecology and aesthetics. Jennifer Foster is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change at York University, Canada. Routledge Equity, Justice and the Sustainable City Series editors: Julian Agyeman and Stephen Zavestoski This series positions equity and justice as central elements of the transition toward sustainable cities. The series introduces critical perspectives and new approaches to the practice and theory of urban planning and policy that ask how the world’s cities can become ‘greener’ while becoming more fair, equitable and just. The Routledge Equity Justice and the Sustainable City series addresses sustainable city trends in the global North and South and investigates them for their potential to ensure a transition to urban sustainability that is equitable and just for all. These trends include municipal climate action plans; resource scarcity as tipping points into a vortex of urban dysfunction; inclusive urbanization; “complete streets” as a tool for realizing more “livable cities”; the use of information and analytics toward the creation of “smart cities”. The series welcomes submissions for high-level cutting-edge research books that push thinking about sustainability, cities, justice and equity in new directions by challenging current conceptualizations and developing new ones. The series ofers theoretical, methodological, and empirical advances that can be used by professionals and as supplementary reading in courses in urban geography, urban sociology, urban policy, environment and sustainability, development studies, planning, and a wide range of academic disciplines. Post-Industrial Urban Greenspace Ecology, Aesthetics and Justice Jennifer Foster Mapping Possibility Finding Purpose and Hope in Community Planning Leonie Sandercock For more information about this series, please visit: www.routledge.com/ Routledge-Equity-Justice-and-the-Sustainable-City-series/book-series/EJSC POST-INDUSTRIAL URBAN GREENSPACE ECOLOGY, AESTHETICS AND JUSTICE Jennifer Foster Designed cover image: Jennifer Foster First published 2023 by Routledge 4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2023 Jennifer Foster The right of Jennifer Foster to be identifed as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identifcation and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 978-1-138-09383-6 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-032-41077-7 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-10640-3 (ebk) DOI: 10.4324/9781315106403 Typeset in Bembo by Apex CoVantage, LLC Dedication For anyone who has worked through a brain injury, in any job whatsoever. CONTENTS Territorial acknowledgement viii List of Illustrations ix Preface xi Acknowledgements xiii 1 Introduction 1 2 Conceptualizing urban post-industrial greenspace 12 3 The Menomonee Valley: Milwaukee, USA 47 4 La Petite Ceinture: Paris, France 80 5 The Leslie Street Spit: Toronto, Canada 110 6 Conclusions 138 Index 144 TERRITORIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This manuscript was prepared on the traditional territories of numerous Indig- enous peoples who took care of the land for thousands of years and continue to do so. The majority of this book was authored on the traditional territories of the Wendake-Nionwentsïo, Mississauga, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Anishinabewaki and Haudenosaunee people. Known as Tkaronto (where trees stand in the water) in the Mohawk language, Toronto is the present-day home- land of diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. The Algonquian word millioke (beautiful land) and the Potawatomi word minwaking (gathering place by the water) are the basis for the name Milwaukee, where much writing was completed. These are the traditional territories of the Menominee, Bodwéwadmi (Potawatomi), Peoria, Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo) and Myaamia peoples. The traditional territories of the Omàmiwininiwag Algonquin and Anishinabewaki peoples in the Ottawa Valley also hosted much of this writing, and parts of this manuscript were prepared on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish, Stz’uminus, Stó:lō, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waytuth. As a result of historic and current colonialism, Indigenous communities have experienced vast dispossession, anguish and genocide, as well as attempted destruc- tion of their cultures, relationships and spirituality. It is the duty of non-Indigenous people to support Indigenous sovereignty and wellbeing and to continuously learn and practice respectful relationships. Acknowledging the territories of Indigenous People across Turtle Island is a modest but essential act of recognition, which must be joined with commitments to honour and support Indigenous People and their self-determination. ILLUSTRATIONS Figures 1.1 Natur-Park Südgelände, 2012 6 1.2 Kaka’ako shoreline, 2018 8 3.1 Menomonee Valley vista, 2019 48 3.2 Menomonee Valley, North Side, 2015 52 3.3 Miller Park baseball stadium, 2019 55 3.4 Menomonee Valley bioretention facility, 2013 64 3.5 Menomonee Valley passage from South Side community, across the river, to the new manufacturing facility, 2015 68 3.6 Urban Ecology Centre Young Scientist Club, 2015 69 4.1 Petite Ceinture vista, 2011 81 4.2 Petite Ceinture trench and tunnel, 2017 84 4.3 Bentonite processing on the Petite Ceinture, 2019 91 4.4 Petite Ceinture community gardens on verges, 2012 93 4.5 Petite Ceinture homestead, 2012 96 4.6 La Recyclerie, 2019 98 4.7 Sentier Nature, Petite Ceinture 16th arrondissement, 2019 103 4.8 Petite Ceinture, 15th arrondissement, 2017 104 5.1 Leslie Street Spit meadow rubble pile, 2020 111 5.2 Aerial image (n-n-e) of Leslie Street Spit, Toronto Port Lands and downtown Toronto, 2019 114 5.3 Leslie Street Spit fox kit, 2020 118 5.4 Leslie Street Spit woodland meadow, 2021 119 5.5 Leslie Street Spit substrate, 2018 121 5.6 Leslie Street Spit shoreline from the southern end, 2021 124 5.7 Leslie Street Spit shoreline, lakeside, 2018 129