Day 1

Urban sprawl. We have all heard about it. We know that with every suburb we build, an equivalent surface of green space is buried forever under concrete and asphalt. This is a concern in cities around the world. The solution: finding a way to entice citizens to consider living in downtown areas again. Of course, that is often the rundown area of a city, where crime and poverty act as a deterrent to middleclass families. Yet, now and again, there are encouraging initiatives.

The 'Core' is downtown Regina's most challenged district. This flux has allowed the establishment of some of urban life's less desirable activities.

Call it a social experiment, Regina's ''ethnic'' neighbourhood is on the verge of becoming a real life testing ground for downtown redevelopment. The benefit of being a smaller city is that you can monitor the effects. Is establishing a new park in an area visited more by Johns than by families and outdoor enthusiasts going to improve the appeal of the Core? Was eliminating some of the city's slums - further reducing the low-cost housing options - too high a price to pay?

The Core harbours both beauty and ugliness. Witness the rebirth of an inner-city neighbourhood. Weigh yourself the merits of this work in progress.