Re-Imagining Eglinton’s Little Jamaica: The Digital Preservation of a Caribbean Community’s Cultural Identity

In the face of displacement and a changing landscape by the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit Project, Little Jamaica’s history is rooted in the ethnic enclaves of longstanding Afro-Caribbean businesses, cultural festivals, and traditions. This study aims to understand how digital and spatial storytelling can be used as a tool to preserve the cultural makeup of Little Jamaica, a community along Eglinton Avenue West. Additionally, this study will assess the promising features of a mobile web application to host community stories and use community conversations as an instrument for awareness, interaction, and engagement. The hypothesis is digital media components can assist with preserving Little Jamaica’s cultural heritage. The results conclude that a mobile web application will showcase community conversations that are at risk of being displaced with residing members.