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Your monthly roundup of news, tools, and events from the world of 8 80 Cities.
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Creating Community Gardens for People of All Ages report cover.

Creating Community Gardens for People of All Ages

When done right, a community garden can improve the health and well-being of residents, foster economic development, combat social isolation, relieve food insecurity, encourage inclusion and enhance community connectedness.

Join us on February 16th from 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET for the Community Gardens: A Tool for Growing Community Change webinar to learn how to build and sustain community gardens as inclusive, intergenerational outdoor spaces. In the webinar, we will feature community gardens supporting healthy aging and helping foster resiliency for people and places.  Register here.

To learn more, download Creating Community Gardens for People of All Ages, AARP’s latest publication, penned in partnership with 8 80 Cities, that explores the connection between community gardens and community development.  

We are also excited to announce that new funding will be available for community gardens through Capacity Building Microgrants as part of AARP's Community Challenge grant program

 

What We Are Reading

ST. Paul, Alberta, Celebrates Winter

The small town of St Paul, Alberta, is an inspiring case study on how to keep the community engaged and active all year round. With a population of 6,000, this town is full of life and community spirit, with events organized by over 100 community groups and local retailers. Check out this article by Penny Fox to learn how the community of St Paul comes together for Family Day!

Continue reading...

Family walking outdoors in the country side.

“Friluftsliv” for Strong Families

Friluftsliv is a Nordic custom that encourages connecting with and embracing nature as a part of everyday life. However, Frilsuftsliv is slightly different from our outdoor recreation culture in Canada as it focuses on simple ways to explore nature and does not involve competitive games or costly equipment. Part of the tradition is also about spending time outdoors connecting with family and creating opportunities for multi-generations interaction and the passing down of traditions. Not only is Frilsuftliv beneficial for physical and emotional health, but it also has benefits for the earth as it encourages feelings of stewardship and compassion for the natural environment. Learn more about the custom in this article by Linda Åkeson McGurk.

Continue reading...

Kid playing in the mud with a car.

Influence of Neighbourhood Built Environments on the Outdoor Free Play of Young Children

This research article by Emily Gemmell, Rachel Ramsden, Mariana Brussoni et al. explores how the built environment influences outdoor free play for children six and under and, more specifically, what are the facilitators or barriers to outdoor free play. The article answers these questions through a thorough review of the existing findings on outdoor free play and finds that proximity to parks, and low-traffic routes to parks were two key facilitators of children’s outdoor free play. Some main barriers to outdoor free play were: not knowing neighbours, lack of interesting play equipment and fears around traffic safety. Learn how these factors may influence children of different genders and cultural backgrounds differently.

Continue reading...

Kids tobogganing at RotaryPlay Park in san Jose, CA.
Image credit: Lanny Nguyen.

Fostering Community Connection

Looking for ways to connect the community to nature and each other? Look no further than the incredible work done in San Jose to activate the Civic Commons! From farmer’s markets to movie nights and guided hikes, the activation events focused on sustainability and environmental awareness and brought in 1000s of visitors over the course of the year. The working group behind this activation will continue to scale out their programming in Civic Commons over the course of 2023.

Continue reading...

Man riding a bike in the middle of traffic.

The Biggest Barrier to Biking Is the Fear of Cars

A study done in Melbourne provides essential insights into how cities can help encourage cycling as a main mode of transportation. Despite the milder climate experienced in Melbourne than in Canadian cities, cycling rates are shockingly low. Surveys found that the main barriers to cycling are around fears of motorists. Cyclists across varying experience levels all emphasized the need for separated bike lanes and continuous networks of bike lanes within urban areas. This article by Lloyd Alter is a reminder that to increase mode shifts from the car to the bike, our focus needs to remain on improving safety rather than focusing on encouragement and awareness efforts.

Continue reading...

Graphic showing the difference between equality and equity.

A Graphic on Equity

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reveals its updated graphics on the difference between equity and equality. Creating the graphic involved thorough consultation with newsletter subscribers and members of equity-deserving groups. The new graphic can be an essential tool to help support conversations around advancing equity. Learn more about their process and find the new graphic here.

What We Are Watching

People riding bikes as part of Vision Zero Cities Bike tour in Hoboken.
Vision Zero Cities Bike Tour

At Transportation Alternatives' Vision Zero Cities Conference in October last year, some session attendees opted to see some of the transformative progress going on just over the Hudson River in the cities of Hoboken & Jersey City.

The bike tour drew an overflow crowd, and they got to see ample treatments and policies in both cities - a few of which you will see in this video by Streetfilms.


 

Webinar Ontario School Streets Report Discussion thumbnail showing kids playing.
Webinar Recording: Ontario School Streets Pilot: Report Launch & Discussion
In 2021 - 2022, 8 80 Cities, along with Green Communities Canada, led a working group of four city teams aiming to implement School Streets across Ontario. The Ontario School Streets Pilot (OSSP) project pilot-tested five School Streets across Mississauga, Markham, Hamilton and Kingston. The webinar recording includes the report's results, recommendations, and a panel discussion with the team leads from all four cities.

Watch the recording... 

Tools and Resources

8 80 Winter Cities Toolkit

set of tools and resources to create more welcoming and inclusive winter cities and public spaces for all. 

What We Heard: National Housing Strategy Programs – Engagement Summary

This engagement summary produced by CUI for the National Housing Council of Canada identifies potential opportunities to address core housing needs and homelessness better.   

Active Aging Canada Resource 

This resource was designed to increase physical literacy and get older adults on the road to becoming more active.

Events & Announcements

Cities For Everyone with Gil/The Webinar


Cities For Everyone with Gil/The Webinar is a biweekly webinar with fascinating guests presenting captivating stories of cities in 20 – 30 minutes. The aim is to share good practices to help all create affordable, equitable, and sustainable cities. Then Gil & participants have a dialogue with the guests.  Every other Tuesday, 11:00 AM ET.

February Sessions:
Feb. 7th: The Six Building Blocks of Inclusive Communities. Regent Park. The Developer’s Social Responsibility. Guest:  Fatima Saya, Senior Manager, Social Impact, The Daniels Corp. Toronto, Canada. Register
here.   Feb. 21st: Arrested Mobility: Exploring the Impacts of Over-Policing BIPOC Mobility in the U.S. Guest: Charles T. Brown, Founder/Managing Principal, Equitable Cities, USA. Register here.

Watch the recordings of previous sessions here.

AARP Community Challenge 2023 grants flyer.

Learn about the 2023 AARP Community Challenge grant program, which provides funding for tangible improvement projects that can help YOUR community become more livable for all residents, especially those 50 and older. In 2023, a new grant category – Capacity-Building Microgrants – is providing funding specially for community garden initiatives with one-on-one support from 8 80 Cities. Applications are due on Wednesday, March 15.

TD Park People Grants Building Vital Connections Between People & Parks announcement.

Are you interested in planning awesome events in your local park? The TD Park People Grants Program is giving 72 grants of $2,000 to host three events in city parks across Canada. Apply HERE before February 20, 2023.

Copenhagen haven, people walking.

Thank you to all Canadian cities that have applied to our Implementing Healthy Urban Policy Workshop that will take place this coming fall in Copenhagen. The winners will be announced in the upcoming months. We cannot wait to work with you all! 

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