Pandemic Pop-Ups and the Performance of Legality

The rapid reallocation of traffic space for walking and cycling has generated much applause, with commentators celebrating these shifts as the start of long-term change toward more liveable, sustainable and inclusive cities. However, these shift towards such pandemic pop-up infrastructures are precarious. With an emphasis on speed over process, pop-ups have invariably been deployed without oversight or engagement, and rarely involving the voices of racialized or vulnerable people. Focusing on the cities of Toronto (Canada) and Sydney (Australia), this chapter argues that the significance of pop-ups extends beyond immediate infrastructure needs in response to a pandemic, to how cities govern more generally.