Suburbanization, affordable housing, mass transportation, loss of fertile lands -- these are modern problems, yet they are not new. Thomas Adams grappled with these same concerns nearly a century ago, when he wrote Rural Planning and Development, a comprehensive overview of planning issues at the time of the First World War.

Rediscovering Thomas Adams reintroduces a new generation to a text that quickly became a touchstone for planners and planning in Canada. Updated with commentaries by the country’s leading planners who hold up Adams’ text as a mirror to reflect upon contemporary planning issues, this richly illustrated book highlights Adams’ influence on the planning profession and the continued significance of his comprehensive and pragmatic vision for building better rural and urban communities.

First published in 1917, Rural Planning and Development continues to resonate as a broad vision for planning, one that moves beyond the demands of the moment to offer a long-term vision for a better future.

Wayne Caldwell is a Professor in Rural Planning at the University of Guelph. He is a Registered Professional Planner and is a passionate advocate for the betterment of rural communities. He has served as chair or president of a number of local, provincial, and national organizations.

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This book makes a timely contribution to current debates regarding the nature of the profession, the need to consider urban and rural issues together, the need to think holistically across departmental boundaries, and the need to creatively consider the future of rural areas in the face of a declining population base, crumbling infrastructure, and energy crisis.

Frank Palermo, Professor in the Faculty of Architecture and Planning and Director of the Cities and Environment Unit, Dalhousie University