In Rhythms of Change, Mitchell Cohen recounts his 18-year involvement in the successful renewal of Toronto’s Regent Park.

Before its re-invention, Regent Park, home to “successive waves of immigrants,” had such a dangerous reputation that friends told Cohen “if I drove along Dundas Street, I should roll up the windows, lock the doors, and not stop until I came out the other side… The media buzzed with coverage of guns, gangs, and violence.” The renewal project, conceived around 2005 and committed to retaining diversity, would offer mixed-income housing and be “a multi-phased, sixty-nine-acre revitalization.”

A musician as well as community activist, Cohen constructs his book using music as a metaphor: “[O]ur team,” he writes, “was part of a large ensemble, playing a pivotal role but always listening closely to the tones and melodies of the other players.” The main narrative is broken into “Verses” (chapters). Sidebars dubbed “Bridge” and “Solo” highlight various aspects of the project, inspiring individuals and random tidbits.
Cohen first recounts his youth and how he came to believe that inclusive communities are the foundation of urban revitalization. He then describes the various phases of the Regent Park project, which involved consulting urbanists, health care and social service officials, current residents, etc., and details its many challenges, such as relocating residents during construction and overcoming unexpected setbacks, including 2008’s devastating economic meltdown.

The author’s sincerity and passion for this project is endearing and undeniable. Unfortunately, some drawbacks impede his effectiveness. Throughout, Cohen unnecessarily namechecks the multitude of people involved in the project, drastically slowing momentum and making it feel more like a tribute to participants than something for a wider audience. Sidebars are often meandering and sometimes irrelevant (several recount Cohen’s musical endeavors). Context is frequently lacking, with local names and establishments dropped in without background.

Such issues will likely deter general readers. Community activists, however, might find some useful information here, and project contributors will no doubt treasure the memories.