Attention Canadian Cities!!! Now accepting applications for this fantastic opportunity to learn from good practices in public space and active transportation to support health and well-being. Includes a study trip and policy implementation workshop for your city team in Copenhagen in Fall 2023! We are so excited to re-launch this initiative with our partners at the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. The application deadline has been extended to January 5th, 2023. So get your teams ready and prepare to submit your application. We can’t wait to see you in Copenhagen! APPLY HERE!!!
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Over the last year, 8 80 Cities collaborated with city teams across Ontario to implement School Streets in their communities as part of the Ontario School Streets Pilot (OSSP) Project. Five School Streets were successfully launched in Kingston, Markham, Hamilton and two in Mississauga. From evaluating the success of these pilots, we are happy to share the report outlining findings and providing recommendations for future School Streets programs discussed in our latest webinar along with the four pilot city team leads and Green Communities Canada.
Read the report here. If you couldn't attend the webinar, you can watch it here.
For more information on this innovative program, visit the School Streets webpage.
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After a year of implementing their projects in their communities, our #OCChangemakers from 2021 have accomplished big goals! We are proud of their work and enthusiasm. Read our blog posts, series 1 and series 2, to learn more about their success stories!
Ontario Community Changemakers is a fellowship and micro-grant program for young civic innovators with bold ideas to activate public space, enhance civic engagement and foster social inclusion. This program is powered by 8 80 Cities and funded by Balsam Foundation. To learn more, visit the program website.
Visit the 8 80 blog...
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As life expectancies increase in Canadians, research has found that the quality of life for older adults is not increasing nearly as fast. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the gaps in care for older adults, and now the majority of adults over 55 in Canada are determined to age in place and not end up in a long-term care facility. This article reviews the critical quality of life issues facing older adults globally and tells the stories of four older adults navigating disability and our ageist society.
Continue reading...
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Many planners in North America are eager to make cycling a more accessible and viable option for transportation within cities in an attempt to embrace greener lifestyles. In our car-dominated landscape, it is often difficult to imagine a realistic alternative to our current streetscapes, however, cities in the Netherlands can offer some inspiration. This article by Lucy Shrimpton details the best spots around the Netherlands to admire cycling infrastructure and provides travel tips to those interested in cycling with the locals.
Continue reading...
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Oftentimes, when we discuss re-imagining how we design streets the focus is on safety. Yet, re-designing streets to become more pedestrian-oriented also instills a sense of place by providing places for natural and unplanned human connection. Following #COP27, in this article Fred Kent, Kathy Madden, Jay Walljasper, Steve Davies, and Katherine Peinhardt remind us that the public spaces and social lives of our communities are a crucial part of a sustainable future.
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The time has come for a “Great Reknitting” across America. The country’s most egalitarian institutions — its public libraries — are a crucial place to start, according to this article's authors, Richard Florida and Brooks Rainwater. And we couldn't agree more, especially now, when we are recovering from a pandemic that has made it evident that America is going through a social isolation crisis. Libraries are not only knowledge nooks but great places to connect with others.
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Photo via Brookings. Series: Placemaking Postcards
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North 24th Street in Omaha is the historical and cultural heart of the city’s Black community. It is also one of the many communities that the Omaha Mobile Stage (OMS)—a new mobile placemaking project—has begun to amplify and elevate as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s toll on artists. Since its creation in 2021, OMS has supported the North 24th Street corridor’s diverse arts community, rich athletics legacy, and civil rights history—particularly as the corridor recovers from the pandemic and experiences demographic and economic transitions. By Jessica Scheuerman and Kaylea Kuhlman.
Continue reading...
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Lessons From Warren Logan In Oakland, CA
At the height of the pandemic lockdown, hundreds of cities globally took quick action to create more public spaces for people to get out while maintaining a safe distance. Thus, the Slow Streets and Healthy Streets installations were born. An early leader in this movement was Oakland, CA, and the man leading the charge there was Warren Logan. In this video, Logan joins John Simmerman from the Active Towns podcast.
Watch the video...
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Tools & Resources
 Check out Parks and Recreation Ontario’s toolkit to learn how to mobilize and advocate for protecting the greenbelt and equitable access to parks, services and amenities in Ontario.
Ageing in the Right Place: Supporting Older Canadians to Live Where They Want: Recognizing the growing importance of supporting older Canadians’ ability to age successfully while remaining engaged members of their communities, this report aims to present a practical definition and framework to understand what ageing in the right place (AIRP) is and what is required to make it work. By National Institute on Ageing, Toronto Metropolitan University.
Accessible Public Spaces For All: The Accessible Public Spaces for All toolkit is designed to support you and your team in understanding the elements of inclusive public spaces to better equip you to champion effective inclusion strategies in your project. It builds a foundation for prioritizing the engagement of people with disabilities in your processes which will inform designs to better meet the needs of diverse people. By Evergreen.
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Events & Announcements
Announcing the Real Play Coalition Winners
The winners of the 2022 Real Play City Challenge were revealed on 18 November by the Real Play Coalition, ahead of World Children’s Day on Sunday (20 November). Run with PlacemakingX, a global network of advocates who accelerate placemaking to create healthy and inclusive communities, the international competition celebrates and awards inspiring uses of play to tackle global challenges. Thank you for having our E.D., Amanda O'Rourke, as part of the expert jury!
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