Play as a Recovery Strategy

Listen to our co-founder Melissa Mongiat as she discusses strategies to mitigate the negative effects of lockdowns.

For decades, artists, designers, and planners have turned to play to better understand our environments and each other. Over the course of the Spring/Summer 2021 season, The Bentway will explore the history of play and its role in shaping decisions about public space through the Playing in Public exhibition and programs.

Co-founder Melissa Mongiat was invited to take part in a talk focusing on how COVID has impacted play for all ages and the strategies that have been employed to mitigate the negative effects of lockdowns over the last year. From virtual recreation activities to craft kit deliveries and distanced team-building, speakers shared their insights into the ways we stayed playful during the height of the pandemic.

Melissa talked alongside Jen DeMelo (KABOOM!), Luis Serrano (FUNdamentals of Play), and Janie Romoff (Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the City of Toronto), as well as Amanda O’Rourke (World Urban Parks & 8 80 Cities) as moderator for this discussion.