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The Lending Library Project sought to create autonomous and flexible recreation and fitness opportunities for WoodGreen’s senior clientele who were high-risk, hesitant to return to in-person programming and those searching for the ability to stay active on their terms. The findings and recommendations from the Lending Library Project are documented in our latest report.
Read on...
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Toronto has been dealing with an ongoing housing crisis that has worsened recently, leading to a hunt for solutions. The idea of small-scale housing, which seeks to increase density in lower-density neighbourhoods and offer more accessible housing choices for the general public, is one such solution that has emerged. Check out our latest post by our 2022 University of Toronto intern Jonathan Chan on the topic.
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How can Cities utilize their diverse demographics to design and re-imagine the urban spaces around us? This article by Reimagining the Civic Commons expands on four specific urban environments where diversity has become one of the guiding principles of the design of its complementing urban spaces. As we dive into this article, we see how important it is for cities to design events curated to the diversity present, construct shared common spaces for interactions, Pop-up-Parks and collective re-imagination and re-development of parks through the use of public and civic engagement.
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Perry King writes about the power of community sports as a catalyst for community development, engagement and personal growth and how sporting complexes can be the epicentre for gatherings. According to King, "these spaces offer opportunities for interaction, break down barriers and function as an important point of connection that strengthens community health and vibrancy." Contrastingly, although sports are great and establish community partnerships, King mentions that it is not always affordable and accessible to all. This leaves us with a question: How cities and communities can break this barrier by "Levelling the playing field"?
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Here is a conversation with Risa Wilkerson, the Executive Director of Healthy Places by Design and our very own Executive Director of 8 80 Cities, Amanda O'Rourke. This conversation piece touches on topics such as the intersectionality of health and design, the influence of listening to people, Amanda O'Rourke's passion for cities, and the many ways the work of both Healthy Places by Design and 8 80 Cities have similar interests.
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The WHO recently declared that the Covid-19 Pandemic has ended, but the implications brought forward by this pandemic continue to linger within our urban spaces. In this article, author Sri Taylor speaks about the construction of public Covid-19 memorials to commemorate the lives lost to the Covid-19 Pandemic and how communities can "come to terms with loss." As we read, we learn about the public installation of memorials and art exhibits created by communities worldwide to remember their loved ones; Prague, Italy, and South Africa, to name a few.
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Photo from Boston Food Forest Coalition/Hope Kelley /CC BY-ND
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As cities continue to grow, Karen A. Spiller and Prakash Kashwan discuss food forests and their crucial role in maintaining ecosystems and providing much-needed sustained ecosystem services. According to the authors, many scholars agree that food forests act as "an exciting new way to protect nature without displacing people" and can encourage community building and promote civic engagement. Most importantly, food forests represent "a grassroots response to the interconnected crises of climate change… and social and racial inequity".
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What We Are Watching & Listening To
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One Year Of Portland's Alameda Bike Bus
Watch this video from Streetfilms celebrating the story of Portland's Alameda Bike Bus at its first-year mark! Inspired by Barcelona's Bici Bus, Physical Education teacher, Sam Balto attempted to start his own at his school in the Alameda neighbourhood of Portland. The initial Wednesday effort was highly successful, with about 75 riders having to come close to 200! Learn more about this marvellous and healthy initiative.
Watch the video...
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Podcast: Podparks- Cities For Children
How would our cities change if we designed them with children in mind? This is the question our friends at Podparks asked 8 80 Cities E.D., Amanda O'Rourke, Leticia Lozano, founder of MACIA Studio, and Jennifer De Melo, Senior Strategist of Organization Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at Kaboom. By prioritizing the needs of children and caregivers, cities can enhance safety, mobility, and overall well-being for all residents.
Listen to the episode here...
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Calling all Canadian placemakers and public space advocates!
Join us at the fourth Placemaking Canada national gathering, taking place June 11-12 at Evergreen Brick Works in and around beautiful Toronto, Ontario.
Get your tickets here...
June 13th, 2023. 8 80 Cities - Igniting Action & Challenging the Statu Quo
In the upcoming Cities 4 Everyone webinar, Gil Penalosa, founder and chair, will chat with Amanda O'Rourke, 8 80 Cities' ED, about the past, present, and future of the organization, the concept of 8 80 Cities and its transformative power in communities around the world. Register here...
International Public Markets Conference
A three-day event on June 8-10, 2023. Co-hosts Project for Public Spaces, the City of Toronto, St. Lawrence Market, and Market Cities TO invite you to help unlock the potential of market systems as equitable sources of well-being and opportunity in one of the world’s great Market Cities—Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Registration is open!
Park People Conference 2023 is Happening in Toronto June 21-23, 2023. The Park People Conference is a national event that brings together Canada’s community park group leaders, non-profit organizations, government staff and park professionals.
Greater & Greener 2024 – Call for Speaker Proposals City Parks Alliance is pleased to announce the Call for Speaker Proposals for Greater & Greener 2024! Their goal is framing and setting the table for conversations between speakers and participants around the complex challenges we all face and how we work in partnership to create more equitable, vibrant, resilient, and inclusive communities.
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