This past spring, four School Streets were piloted across the Greater Toronto Area with support from 8 80 Cities and Green Communities Canada, in a project called ‘Ontario School Streets Pilot’. The project is funded through Ontario Active School Travel, with the goal of encouraging active school travel for students, parents, and the broader school community. By Laura Smith
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For many years, the downtowns of cities have been designed for office space and have neglected the importance of spaces for leisure and recreation. However, as many employees plan to continue working from home for the foreseeable future, cities must re-imagine their downtowns to continue to see engagement in downtown spaces. This provides an opportunity for cities to invest in cultural amenities, parks and improved transportation options to create more vibrant cities that are people-centric. The pandemic forced us to see the importance of public space and social services, creating new expectations for what we can expect from our cities. By Brooks Rainwater.
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Social isolation is a serious public health issue that needs to be addressed through improved community design that prioritizes social connections. This article provides three strategies for mitigating social isolation through city development and provides a strong argument for cities to invest in improving social connectedness. By Risa Wilkerson
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This article by Alonzo Plough discusses the major themes in his new book entitled Necessary Conversations. Alonzo’s book includes written pieces from 50 different contributors discussing the ways racial inequity creates barriers to good health. From food insecurity to overrepresentation in the criminal justice system, this article touches on the many ways racism in North America affects health.
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As local governments look to restore environmental health, and ecosystem services and improve access to healthy green spaces, three US cities serve as case studies of nature-based solutions to urban problems. The article explores nature-based solutions in Portland, Oregon, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the City of Fort Collins, Colorado. Planners and urban designers can find inspiration from the work across these three cities to better incorporate nature into the urban environment. By ICLEI USA
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The Farm to Early Care Education (F2ECE) Program seeks to enhance children’s health and wellbeing by connecting them to local foods. The program involves creating and sustaining gardens at early childhood care centres to allow children to grow their own food. Gardens have proven to be beneficial to children’s health by providing opportunities for nature play and increasing their consumption of fruits and vegetables. The program continues to gain popularity across North Carolina based on the multitude of benefits and the fairly low cost to implement. By Mindy Davis
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According to the 2021 census, Canadians are living longer and more healthily than ever. What are the secret ingredients to a healthier lifestyle while we age? In this article, Robin Roberts explores the many answers to that question while talking to Canadian experts on health and aging populations. Exercising, socializing and keeping ourselves active despite challenges like the pandemic or the heavy weight of social isolation are some of the tips offered!
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Just launched, The 2022 Canadian City Park Report features the most important trends and opportunities in Canada's city parks in the last year. Based on data from 30 Canadian cities and a survey of 3,000 Canadians, this year's report explores the critical role parks play in nature connection, decolonization, houselessness, and more.
Rural America Placemaking Toolkit: A very cool resource that will help you identify placemaking projects that align with your community capacity.
Complete Streets Projects in Washington: Three smaller Washington cities—Airway Heights, Arlington, and Wenatchee— came together to learn from the National Complete Streets Coalition and one another while building their skills in safer street design, and creative placemaking, and community engagement through quick-build pilot projects. This tells the story of their demonstration projects.
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