Farewell Oak Street

In post WW2 Toronto, the Regent Park area was home to mostly poor and working-class people. Concern over crime and social problems in the area, as well as substandard housing, led to plans for affordable housing that came to fruition soon after the end of the war, when the neighbourhood was razed and the Regent Park North public housing project was approved. But, although Regent Park had been designed to alleviate the area's housing and social problems, these issues soon reemerged. The buildings fell into disrepair and it became notorious for bedbugs and crime. In the early 2000s, a mixed income redevelopment plan for Regent Park was implemented and is ongoing. But in 1954 when Farewell Oak Street was made, the future looked very bright for those who were offered new homes in the brand new housing project.

(Lorne Greene narrates and one of the actors playing a tenant is a very young Kate Reid.)

Via NFB Blog