Walk 1: Listening and Noticing Walk

Big Land Walks is a series of free walks. Our goal is not to convey any specific information but to have a collective poetic experience. Participants are members of the public, often who had no idea about us but saw us standing beside our sign on the street and decided to go on a walk. Here is a brief record of the walk.   

Listening and Noticing Walk
Walk led by David Stokes

I set up my 'Free Tour' sign at the south east edge of Nathan Phillips Square where it meets Queen Street. A group approached and asked about the tour. They were a group of three tourists from Philladelphia and wanted to try the walk.

We began by heading to the grassy lawn of Osgoode Hall. We lay down on the grass and closed our eyes and listened to the city for a minute and a half. Then we talked about what we heard.

Next we began a noticing walk. I handed out index cards and pens to everyone and asked them to make their way back to our starting point, but to take their time and to try to write down a brief description of everything they saw that interested them or caught their eye.

Once we had all reached the benches in front of Nathan Phillips Square, we told each other what we had seen. That was the end of the walk. The walk lasted about an hour.

Here are images of some of the index cards from the group.