What does the word alley bring to mind? Most likely someplace gray and utilitarian, a narrow passageway behind buildings. Perhaps it evokes unpleasantness, even menace, as in something “you wouldn’t want to encounter in a dark alley.”

But what if alleys reflected creative problem-solving? In a growing number of cities, they do. Presenting the “green alley,” an urban oasis created from what was once a concrete desert.

The seeds of this eco-friendly concept were sown in Montréal, where green alleys are known as ruelles vertes.

From No-Go to Where Flowers Grow

How did gray alleys first go green? The road from urban crisis to urban oasis was long, winding, and pot-holed with missteps.

In the 1840s, Montréal’s first alleyways emerged as farmlands were subdivided into small properties. By the 1960s, 300 miles of asphalt alley snaked along the margins of the densely massed buildings. As in most cities, Montréal’s alleys were dreary corridors by day and desolate no-go zones by night.

A Road Paved with Good Intentions

In 1968, five Canadian architecture students with utopian visions set off for an alley in an impoverished Montréal neighborhood. They would install a flowerbed! Paint the walls! Inspire residents to sustain the makeover!

Alas, like the proverbial road paved with good intentions, the results were less than heavenly.

A 1969 documentary film, Les fleurs c’est pour Rosemont, captures the social and class tensions between privileged outsiders who meant well and hardworking locals who were focused on meeting primary needs, not adding primary colors.

A Grassroots Response

With every showing, Jacques Giraldeau’s documentary raised the topic anew, prompting lively discussion and engaging diverse perspectives.

Over time, this inspired a more considered approach at a grassroots level. Residents of the same block began talking things over. Who knew better than they the problems and potential of their alleys?

Together, they came up with proposals and secured the support of city officials. Together, they pooled their resources to turn creative thinking into practical magic.

Today, Montréal has 350 green alleys—urban oases where children play, neighbors gather, and visitors find inspiration.

And just as the wind scatters seeds to create new growth, the Montréal model spread to cities around the world.

More than a Pretty Space

The reasons to revitalize urban alleys go way beyond “outdoor décor.” Green alleys replace asphalt with permeable paving and organic materials. So along with beautification, green alleys make city life better by

Green Alley, U.S.A.

In the United States, Michigan is home to one of the most remarkable green-alley transformations. Detroit’s Green Alley, created in 2008-2010 as the city was emerging from bankruptcy, turned a desolate “stretch of pavement, dumpsters, and dreams that had long since broken down” into an oasis that brings together people, nature, and the arts.

Several other cities are following suit—among them Chicago, Los Angeles, Omaha, Austin, and Nashville. You can see a Los Angeles neighborhood “green team” in action here.

Seeds of Possibility

Given the vastness of public lands and waterways, how important is it to make better use of alleys? By 2050, 75 percent of the world’s population will be living in cities.

How much of an impact could green alleys make? Consider that Chicago alone has 1,900 miles of alleyway to work with. Now factor in that nearly every city in the world (with notable exceptions) is crisscrossed with alleyways.

Yes, cities still need somewhere to put out the garbage. More to the point, say urban environmentalists, we need to reduce waste itself. This has become another focus of creative problem-solving.

According to Daniel Toole, author of Tight Urbanism, Alley Architecture in the U.S., Australia, and Japan, “As waste collection becomes more effective . . . [alleys] present a ridiculous amount of space to be used simply for waste conveyance.”

Is there a “green alley” near you? Have you seen green alleys in your travels? Have you and your neighbors ever worked together to transform a common outdoor area into a greener, more inviting public space? If so, please share your experiences with our readers!

Comment on the post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

$\"A$

THIS is a public alley? In Montr\u00e9al, a ruelle verte<\/em> (“green alley”) basks in autumn’s glow.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n

Creative Problem-Solving, One Alley at a Time<\/h2>\n
What does the word alley<\/em> bring to mind? Most likely someplace gray and utilitarian, a narrow passageway behind buildings. Perhaps it evokes unpleasantness, even menace, as in something \u201cyou wouldn\u2019t want to encounter in a dark alley.\u201d<\/p>\n
But what if alleys reflected creative problem-solving? In a growing number of cities, they do. Presenting the “green alley,” an urban oasis created from what was once a concrete desert.<\/p>\n
The seeds of this eco-friendly concept were sown in Montr\u00e9al, where green alleys are known as ruelles vertes.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
$\"Two$
Over 80% of Montr\u00e9al residents surveyed have said “Oui!” to the Ruelle Verte<\/em> project.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
From No-Go to Where Flowers Grow<\/h4>\n
How did gray alleys first go green? The road from urban crisis to urban oasis was long, winding, and pot-holed with missteps.<\/p>\n
In the 1840s, Montr\u00e9al\u2019s first alleyways emerged as farmlands were subdivided into small properties. By the 1960s, 300 miles of asphalt alley snaked along the margins of the densely massed buildings. As in most cities, Montr\u00e9al\u2019s alleys were dreary corridors by day and desolate no-go zones by night.<\/p>\n
$\"An$
This is what most of us picture when we hear the word alley<\/em>.
\u00a9 Alex Borland [License: CC0<\/a> Public Domain]<\/p><\/div>\n
A Road Paved with Good Intentions<\/strong><\/h4>\n
In 1968, five Canadian architecture students with utopian visions set off for an alley in an impoverished Montr\u00e9al neighborhood. They would install a flowerbed! Paint the walls! Inspire residents to sustain the makeover!<\/em><\/p>\n
Alas, like the proverbial road paved with good intentions, the results were less than heavenly.<\/p>\n
A 1969 documentary film<\/a>, Les fleurs c\u2019est pour Rosemont<\/em>, captures the social and class tensions between privileged outsiders who meant well and hardworking locals who were focused on meeting primary needs, not adding primary colors.<\/p>\n
Without grassroots engagement, the goal of green alleys had hit a dead end.<\/p>\n
Or had it?<\/p>\n
$\"Autumn$
In Montr\u00e9al, nature has a way of making its presence known\u00a0 . . .
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
A Grassroots Response<\/strong><\/h4>\n
With every showing, Jacques Giraldeau\u2019s documentary raised the topic anew, prompting lively discussion and engaging diverse perspectives.<\/p>\n
Over time, this inspired a more considered approach at a grassroots level. Residents of the same block began talking things over. Who knew better than they the problems and potential of their alleys?<\/p>\n
$\"A$
As neighbors met, ideas began to flower.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Together, they came up with proposals and secured the support of city officials. Together, they pooled their resources to turn creative thinking into practical magic.<\/p>\n
In 1995, Montr\u00e9al\u2019s first official ruelle verte<\/em> opened.<\/p>\n
Today, Montr\u00e9al has 350 green alleys\u2014urban oases where children play, neighbors gather, and visitors find inspiration.<\/p>\n
And just as the wind scatters seeds to create new growth, the Montr\u00e9al model spread to cities around the world.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Green alleys bring biodiversity into tight urban spaces.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
More than a Pretty Space<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The reasons to revitalize urban alleys go way beyond \u201coutdoor d\u00e9cor.\u201d Green alleys replace asphalt with permeable paving and organic materials. So along with beautification, green alleys make city life better by<\/p>\n
\n
reducing the \u201cheat island\u201d effect<\/li>\n
allowing storm water to filter back into the ground<\/li>\n
improving air quality<\/li>\n
increasing plant biodiversity<\/li>\n
providing habitat for birds and insects<\/li>\n
reinvigorating pedestrian activity<\/li>\n
encouraging bicycling<\/li>\n
reducing traffic<\/li>\n
providing places for children to play<\/li>\n
fostering increased sociability<\/li>\n
supporting urban agriculture, one of the factors in erasing \u201cfood deserts,\u201d areas where it is difficult to buy affordable, fresh food<\/li>\n
improving a city\u2019s global livability rating<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
$\"A$
Hand-painted signs in a ruelle verte<\/em> invite neighborhood kids to come and play.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Green Alley, U.S.A.
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n
In the United States, Michigan is home to one of the most remarkable green-alley transformations. Detroit\u2019s Green Alley, created in 2008-2010 as the city was emerging from bankruptcy, turned a desolate \u201cstretch<\/a> of pavement, dumpsters, and dreams that had long since broken down\u201d into an oasis that brings together people, nature, and the arts.<\/p>\n
Several other cities are following suit\u2014among them Chicago<\/a>, Los Angeles, Omaha<\/a>, Austin, and Nashville<\/a>.\u00a0 You can see a Los Angeles neighborhood “green team” in action here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
$\"Colorful$
The goal of green alleys is not to gentrify, but to make life better citywide.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Seeds of Possibility<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Given the vastness of public lands and waterways, how important is it to make better use of alleys? By 2050, 75 percent of the world\u2019s population will be living in cities.<\/p>\n
How much of an impact could green alleys make? Consider that Chicago alone has 1,900 miles of alleyway to work with. Now factor in that nearly every city in the world (with notable exceptions<\/a>) is crisscrossed with alleyways.<\/p>\n
Yes, cities still need somewhere to put out the garbage. More to the point, say urban environmentalists, we need to reduce waste itself. This has become another focus of creative problem-solving.<\/p>\n
According to Daniel Toole, author of Tight Urbanism<\/em><\/a>, Alley Architecture in the U.S., Australia, and Japan,<\/em> \u201cAs waste collection becomes more effective . . . [alleys] present a ridiculous amount of space to be used simply for waste conveyance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oh, I see:<\/strong> For Earth’s sake, even an alley is too precious to waste.<\/p>\n
$\"An$
Found objects & recycled resources dress up an alley.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Is there a “green alley” near you? Have you seen green alleys in your travels? Have you and your neighbors ever worked together to transform a common outdoor area into a greener, more inviting public space? If so, please share your experiences with our readers!<\/p>\n
Comment<\/em><\/a> on the post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":35468,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[536,108,248,225],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-canada-mappoints","category-ideas-creative","category-makingadifference-life","category-nature-travel"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35466","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35466"}],"version-history":[{"count":32,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35466\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35510,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35466\/revisions\/35510"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35468"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35466"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35466"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35466"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}