Author: Joey deVilla

What is Toronto Transit Camp?

Toronto Transit Camp is a one-day unconference where people of all types who depend on and care about the TTC — designers, transit geeks, bloggers, visual artists, tech geeks and cultural creators — will gather to discuss, collaborate and brainstorm ideas about the transit system we know and, in spite of all its warts, love. Over the day, there’ll be a number of sessions in which you can participate and put forth your ideas for improving both the TTC website and the general TTC experience. All the ideas generated at Toronto Transit Camp will be delivered to the commission for their consideration.

“Unconference”? What’s that?

Didn’t you click on the “unconference” link in the paragraph above? Very well, then: consider what normally happens at a session at most conferences — you have a speaker who makes a presentation for anywhere from a half-hour to two hours, after which there may be a few minutes devoted to questions and possibly some time put aside to “break out into discussion groups”. The unconference concept turns this around by making sessions mostly about asking questions and discussion rather than a lecture. In such a setup, the “speaker” is more of a discussion facilitator or moderator. We feel that while the conference structure has value when you want to impart knowledge, we feel that the unconference structure works better for what we want to do: generate ideas, stiumlate discussion and build community.

Okay, I like the idea, but what makes you think that the TTC are going to listen to the ideas generated at this conference?

I don’t blame you for being cynical. The TTC commission has, for the past couple of decades, been old hide-bound Soviet politburo: a bunch of old guys, apparently out of touch with real world needs, making do with increasingly outdated equipment and desperate to maintain the status quo. However, with the installment of the new chair, Ward 18 councillor Adam Giambrone. He’s the youngest-ever ever chair of the TTC — a mere slip of a lad at the age of 29 — and quite receptive to new ideas. So much, in fact, that he put the question to the local blogosphere asking for input into how to improve the TTC’s rather dismal website. Think of it as a TTC experiencing their own version of glasnost, and think of Giambrone as a better-looking Gorby without the pigeon doo-doo or whatever that thing was on his head.

Furthermore, we organizers of this event are pretty persuasive people. We’ve gotten our foot in the door at city events, companies both small and large have offered to sponsor events we hold, and we’re already getting our press coverage for Toronto Transit Camp set up. We understand just what a well-organized, active, open and smart community is capable of, and we have the drive to kick-start it.

So when and where will Toronto Transit Camp take place?

Toronto Transit Camp will take place at the Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen Street West, at Dufferin) on Sunday, February 4th, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

What?! Isn’t that Super Sunday?

Yes, but the game doesn’t start until 6:30 that evening. Perhaps you can live without seeing the pre-game stuff this year.

How much will it cost to attend?

It’s free. You’ll probably have to buy your own lunch, but there’s no admission charge for Toronto Transit Camp.

Who’s paying for it then? Is this coming out of my taxes, you socialist creeps?

Not at all, my free market friend. The Gladstone Hotel is giving us the space at a big discount, and a number of civic minded companies such as Radiant Core and my employer, Tucows, are sponsoring the event.

The only catch is that we can handle a maximum of 100 attendees. We ask that anyone who attends can be there for the full day and is ready, willing and able to contribute to the discussion.

I find your ideas intriguing and would like to subscribe to your newsletter. Where can I find out more?

The Toronto Transit Camp site has all sorts of information about the event and will be updated regularly both before and after the event. Check it out!