Finding Community in third places

Looking for warmth, human connection and things to do this winter? Here’s where Ontarians are gathering.

By Valerie Howes | Illustrations by Kate Traynor

Illustration: four people sit at a table in a library playing a board game.

Some of the most meaningful connections happen in the most ordinary places. On your daily walk at the local park, you chat with other dog owners and catch up on neighbourhood news. You joke around with fellow crafters while knitting socks at the coffee shop stitching circle. At the local library’s games night, you’re guaranteed a great evening of backgammon and banter, no matter who shows up on the other side of the table.

What do these experiences have in common? They all occur in third places, sometimes called third spaces — shared venues that offer a sense of belonging, connection and community. With the rise of online life and fewer publicly accessible, low-cost spaces where people can congregate, many are concerned about the loss of third places in their communities. But there are still vibrant, active examples across the province, if you know where to look.

Illustration: A woman in a yellow shirt cuts and pastes paper shapes into a notebook.

What is a third place?

If home is our first place and work or school our second place, a third place is an informal environment where we go to relax, socialize with friends and acquaintances and meet new people. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg, who coined the term in the 1980s, defined third places as accessible physical settings that encourage conversation, conviviality and community.

Why third places matter

Today many of us work from home, communicate through social media, and use the technology at our fingertips to bank, shop and entertain ourselves, all without interacting face to face with other humans. While online life is convenient, it can also be isolating.

Research from the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Canadian Mental Health Association shows that in-person social connection is associated with better mental health, lower cardiovascular risk, even protection against cognitive decline. Debbie Laliberte Rudman, a Western University professor who researches third places, says that those spaces can help counteract loneliness. And in winter, when cold weather can drive us indoors, third places serve as spots to congregate, warm up and enjoy the company of others.

Third places aren’t just good for individual health. They also act as a kind of social glue that helps keep diverse communities connected, caring and thriving. “There’s a lot of divisiveness in society — this feeling of ‘Who really belongs here?’ and ‘Who doesn’t belong here?’” says Laliberte Rudman. “Third places are really important for social cohesion.”

in-person social connection is associated with better mental health, lower cardiovascular risk, even protection against cognitive decline.

Third place movement across Ontario

Making spaces for connection in Port Hope

When the Unfinished Stitchery crew meets at Mary J. Benson Public Library in Port Hope, Ont., they have to close the program room doors. Not that it’s a hush-hush place; it’s that these knitters, crocheters and cross-stitchers are especially raucous. “They’re loud, and there’s lots of laughter,” says Lisa O’Leary, the library’s programming and community engagement coordinator.

The Monday afternoon program is technically a drop-in, but many local makers have come regularly for years. The timing works well for retirees, and as they work on personal projects, they often share memories of Port Hope past. “Sometimes I’m blown away by what they’re speaking about,” says O’Leary. Family, travel and life stuff also get dissected over the clack of knitting needles.

During March and summer break, the group welcomes kids, too. Regulars are supportive, no matter your age or skill level. “If you’re like, ‘Oh, I dropped a stitch, I don’t know what happened here,’ someone will come over right away and help,” says O’Leary. “They’re invested in others, which plays into that sense of belonging.”

Sometimes the group does yarn bombing, decorating outdoor spaces with colourful knitted or crocheted installations. In 2026, they yarn-bombed for Ontario Public Library Week, when the theme was Loud for Libraries. “Yarn bombing plays into that,” says O’Leary, “being loud for those third spaces that are diminishing and that we need as part of the fabric of our communities.”

Illustration: two women knitting together in armchairs, with a basket of yarn at their feet.

Illustration: three people sit around a wooden table playing cards.

Community building in a Toronto food court

On Saturday mornings in the colder months, something beautiful happens in the basement of the Aura, a downtown Toronto mall: The Foodcourt Fairgrounds.

Created by a group called Happy Town, these free drop-in gatherings regularly see up to 80 people take over communal tables before vendors arrive. Participants can register ahead of time on the Luma app, while volunteer hosts lead crafts, games and debates. Some teach card games, such as the lively Scopa from Italy and the rummy-style Carioca from Chile. The crowd spans generations.

“You don’t need anything fancy to have a good time. It’s more about the people than the place,” says co-organizer Adam Chen, who lives in the condo tower upstairs. There are a few ground rules: no work talk, no promoting your business, and keep things platonic while the group meets. “That gives people a sense of comfort, a sense of belonging and just hanging out,” he says.

In the buzz of downtown, he hopes to create a small-town vibe. Through Foodcourt Fairgrounds, he’s seen friendships and relationships grow, and the community rally in times of need. For instance, when one host with a young daughter and a dog were facing housing insecurity, members helped her find a new place in record time.

This year, Chen has invited people to host similar meet-ups across the city under one umbrella, offering free winter programs in a variety of third places. His goal: “to make it a very un-lonely winter in Toronto.”

“You don’t need anything fancy to have a good time. It’s more about the people than the place.”

Table for 60: Breaking bread together at the Diners Club in Hamilton

Drop in to the Welcome Inn Community Centre on Tuesday evenings, and you’ll be greeted by the aromas of home cooking — maybe a tasty pasta dish, meat and vegetables or pumpkin pie. Running since the late 1980s, the Diners Club welcomes around 60 older adults from the North Hamilton community to eat together every week. Some have been coming for over a decade; most are over 55, and the eldest at the table is 96.

“Our hope is that it feels like coming home for dinner,” says Ruth Kaulback, seniors program and volunteer program coordinator. “We try to provide a nutritious meal, but it’s more about having conversations… helping people feel seen and heard.”

After dinner, there’s always an activity — perhaps dancing, live music or a cooking demo. And there are monthly learning sessions on useful topics, such as how to find a family doctor or what to do if you’re experiencing memory loss.

For some, Diners Club is the one standing date in their social calendar; for many, it’s the highlight of the week. If someone misses a week or two, Kaulback says the others phone to check in on them. If someone is in the hospital, they’re guaranteed visitors. “The group has created this beautiful family thing together,” she says.

Illustration: A woman in a pink sweater sits across from a man in a green striped shirt. They both chat while holding coffee cups.

Finding a third place

Looking for a third place of your own? They can be discovered in communities across the province. Finding one where you feel at home might take a little trial and error, but it’s worth exploring until you find the right fit. Start with something you love to do or want to try — whether that’s a sport, a creative pursuit, volunteering or simply drinking coffee — then see what’s on offer locally. Check local bulletin boards, browse your community’s social media pages, or search online for your preferred activity in your neighbourhood. Then all that’s left to do is show up regularly and get to know your neighbours. CAA