Society

Sonnet Hines

The Disappearance of Third Spaces

A close-up portrait of a Black woman with warm dark skin, smiling broadly at the camera with her teeth showing and wearing deep red lipstick. She has long box braids styled with a mix of black and vibrant blue hair, and wears small gold hoop earrings and a thin gold necklace. Her sleeveless top features a blue and teal animal print pattern. The background is a plain light gray.

Sonnet Hines is a fourth-year ProCom student, minoring in Public Relations. She’s a Lead Mentor with The Creative School’s Tri-Mentoring Program and works with TMU Housing, supporting students through mentorship and community-building. She is also a poet, content creator and professional roller skater who co-owns Hines Sisters Skate.

This research investigates the disappearance of third spaces in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and the social impacts on communities. Third spaces are informal public places where people gather outside home and work. The decline is correlated to rising living costs, privatization, and urban development. Using a mixed qualitative approach, including literature review and media analysis, the study will trace their decline over time and explore their benefits for social connection. The goal is to provide a clearer understanding of what third spaces are, why they matter, and how their loss affects society.

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