Global Civic Policy Society | Vancouver Urban Forum
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Global Civic Policy Society ―
Vancouver Urban Forum, June 6
Global Civic Policy Society | Vancouver Urban Forum
From The Globe and Mail — Crossed Signals
TRANSPORTATION
Crossed signals: Reducing the risk of pedestrian death in Vancouver
FRANCES BULA
VANCOUVER— Saturday's Globe and Mail
A 74-year-old woman was hit at Robson and Howe downtown in broad daylight by an SUV on March 6 and died later that afternoon.
A 75-year-old woman was hit and killed at the intersection of 41st Avenue and Ross Street in southeast Vancouver 11 days later. A 29-year-old woman was critically injured in yet another car-and-pedestrian crash March 31 at the intersection of Broadway and Rupert Street.
Read more: Crossed signals: Reducing the risk of pedestrian death in Vancouver - The Globe and Mail
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
From Maytree ― Alan Broadbent on
Building Strong Organizations
For Hard Times
Read more: Maytree » Building strong organizations for hard times
Sunday, May 20, 2012
From Yatzer.com ―
Melvin The Mini Machine by HEYHEYHEY
Melvin The Mini Machine by HEYHEYHEY | Yatzer
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Guest Comment, The Nanaimo News Bulletin
Three Things My Neighbourhood
Has That Yours Doesn't.
I live downtown and I think that my neighbourhood has 3 things that yours doesn't. Before I tell you what they are let me say that here's what we have in common: we're both very fond of our neighbourhoods. Permit me a broad brush stroke when I say I've lived in your neighbourhood and was also very fond of it. Raised the kid, enjoyed its almost rural feel with nearby trails and parks. Good schools and playing fields. Nanaimo has terrific suburban neighbourhoods but my downtown one has some things they don't.
1. Jobs. Hundreds of them. Jobs in tailor shops, offices, restaurants and pubs. Jobs in medical and dental clinics, law and accounting offices. Jobs in auto repair and warehouses and printing shops. Dozens more at the fire hall and the police station and City Hall. Inner city neighbourhoods like mine are economic engines. On my morning walk I enjoy the buzz and vitality of people arriving in my neighbourhood, very often by bus, to their work places. Some arrive to attend courses at the Music Conservatory or trade school. Through the day they patronize the coffee bars, restaurants and specialty retail stores.
2. Diversity. My inner city neighbourhood has a much greater demographic mix than your suburban neighbourhood. Within a ten minute walk I can enjoy, by quick count, 10 restaurants that feature cuisines from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Different languages are often heard on the streets of my neighbourhood, for example as young people from around the world studying at VIU travel though on their way downtown. An immigrant support office has recently opened. Business people who continue to work in the neighbourhood have over the past 20 years made large investments in both commercial and residential developments —condos and also quality rental housing, an important element that adds to the economic diversity of the neighbourhood which also often means more young people.
3. Walkability. Along with good, convenient transit. I have access to everything I need on foot. I can, and have, walked to my dentist, my doctor, my lawyer, my accountant. Happily, none of which I have to do very often. Many neighbourhood residents live within walking distance of their work and could easily do without a car. An inexpensive bus ride from the end of my block takes me quickly to BC Ferries. On the other side there's generally an express bus waiting and a half hour later, and all for well under twenty bucks, I'm at the corner of Granville and Georgia. Kids in my neighbourhood can, and mostly do, walk to school.
The main reason my neighbourhood has these features and yours doesn't is because more people live more closely together in mine. Because of this It contributes per square km vastly more property tax revenue to City Hall than yours does. It supports an old fashioned shopping street like the ones all our neighbourhoods used to have before we started designing our cities for cars.
Frank Murphy lives downtown and thinks that his neighbourhood has some things yours doesn't. What do you think? Frank's urbanist website is www.thesidewalkballet.com.
Has That Yours Doesn't.
I live downtown and I think that my neighbourhood has 3 things that yours doesn't. Before I tell you what they are let me say that here's what we have in common: we're both very fond of our neighbourhoods. Permit me a broad brush stroke when I say I've lived in your neighbourhood and was also very fond of it. Raised the kid, enjoyed its almost rural feel with nearby trails and parks. Good schools and playing fields. Nanaimo has terrific suburban neighbourhoods but my downtown one has some things they don't.
1. Jobs. Hundreds of them. Jobs in tailor shops, offices, restaurants and pubs. Jobs in medical and dental clinics, law and accounting offices. Jobs in auto repair and warehouses and printing shops. Dozens more at the fire hall and the police station and City Hall. Inner city neighbourhoods like mine are economic engines. On my morning walk I enjoy the buzz and vitality of people arriving in my neighbourhood, very often by bus, to their work places. Some arrive to attend courses at the Music Conservatory or trade school. Through the day they patronize the coffee bars, restaurants and specialty retail stores.
2. Diversity. My inner city neighbourhood has a much greater demographic mix than your suburban neighbourhood. Within a ten minute walk I can enjoy, by quick count, 10 restaurants that feature cuisines from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Different languages are often heard on the streets of my neighbourhood, for example as young people from around the world studying at VIU travel though on their way downtown. An immigrant support office has recently opened. Business people who continue to work in the neighbourhood have over the past 20 years made large investments in both commercial and residential developments —condos and also quality rental housing, an important element that adds to the economic diversity of the neighbourhood which also often means more young people.
3. Walkability. Along with good, convenient transit. I have access to everything I need on foot. I can, and have, walked to my dentist, my doctor, my lawyer, my accountant. Happily, none of which I have to do very often. Many neighbourhood residents live within walking distance of their work and could easily do without a car. An inexpensive bus ride from the end of my block takes me quickly to BC Ferries. On the other side there's generally an express bus waiting and a half hour later, and all for well under twenty bucks, I'm at the corner of Granville and Georgia. Kids in my neighbourhood can, and mostly do, walk to school.
The main reason my neighbourhood has these features and yours doesn't is because more people live more closely together in mine. Because of this It contributes per square km vastly more property tax revenue to City Hall than yours does. It supports an old fashioned shopping street like the ones all our neighbourhoods used to have before we started designing our cities for cars.
Frank Murphy lives downtown and thinks that his neighbourhood has some things yours doesn't. What do you think? Frank's urbanist website is www.thesidewalkballet.com.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
From The Globe and Mail ―
The Economics of Energy Conservation
The Economics of
Energy Conservation
From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Published Saturday, May. 05, 2012
Three
years ago, Jeff
Rubin left
Bay Street to publish a book that warned that the world was on the
brink of a period of deglobalization because of the rising cost of
energy. Now, as he argues in his forthcoming book, The End of Growth,
sustained high oil prices mean that advanced economies are gearing
down into a new era of slow – or no – economic growth.
Just
what does this new world look like, and what will it take to adjust?
Some surprising answers lie an ocean away, in Denmark.
The
first thing I noticed on a flight into Copenhagen a few summers ago
was a ring of wind turbines surrounding the city. Not far from the
city’s harbor, the sweeping arc of offshore windmills is a hard
sight to miss. I found out later that this is exactly what the Danes
have in mind. The gleaming white windmills, which rise more than 100
meters above the deep blue waters of the Øresund strait, are
intended to be an unmistakable symbol of Denmark’s commitment to
renewable energy
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Filmmaker Gary Hustwit Discusses
His Documentary Film Urbanized
Urbanized is a feature-length documentary about the design of cities, which looks at the issues and strategies behind urban design and features some of the world’s foremost architects, planners, policymakers, builders, and thinkers. On April 12, PennDesign Dean Marilyn Jordan Taylor joined filmmaker Gary Hustwit in conversation with two of the film’s participants, James Corner, Professor and Chair of Landscape Architecture at PennDesign and Principal, James Corner Field Operations and Ricky Burdett, Professor of Urban Studies and Director, LSE Cities and Urban Age/Global Distinguished Professor, New York University, following a screening of the film.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
From Dwell ―
Jane Jacobs: Neighbourhoods in Action
Read more: Jane Jacobs Video - Blogs - Dwell
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