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Past Lectures

Walking Home: The life and Lessons of a City Builder

Presented Nov 2011

Wednesday November 3, 2011 Ken Greenberg, Architect, teacher, writer & urban design consultant One of the world’s foremost urban designers will share his passion and methods for rejuvenating neglected cities and downtown cores. For over thirty years Ken has designed the means to make that happen. Walking Home is a story in turning the world’s […]

Transforming New York’s Streets

Presented Nov 2011

Thursday November 3, 2011 Andrew Wiley-Schwartz, New York City, Department of Transportation The streets of New York have been changed by simple but grand moves that have turned parts of Time Square and other streets spaces into popular public places and safe complete streets. Andy explained how changes in the New York City administration, community […]

Towards Sustainable Mobility: The role of walking, cycling, transit and…cars

Presented Nov 2011

Wednesday November 2, 2011 Gil Penalosa, Executive Director of 8-80 Cities Internationally renowned liveable city advisor, Gil Penalosa, delivers inspirational and interactive presentations on creating 8-80 cities – cities that are safe and accessible for all citizens from 8 to 80 years of age. This presentation will provide examples of best practices in achieving more sustainable […]

Walking Around the World: Innovation and inspiration for better pedestrian environments

Presented Jun 2011

Dr Rodney Tolley, Conference Director, Walk21; Honorary Research Fellow, Staffordshire University (UK) Active living is a way of life that integrates physical activity into daily routines. Evidence shows that compact, mixed use, walkable and cycle-friendly environments can encourage active living that has associated health, economic, environmental and social benefits. In spite of this, car-oriented communities […]

Vancouverism in Ottawa?

Presented May 2011

For the fifth year in a row, the City of Vancouver was selected as the most livable city in the world out of 140 cities surveyed by the Economist Intelligence Unit, a market research department of The Economist magazine. This accolade is not isolated to the City alone as one reviews Vancouver’s (city and region) […]

Alex Maclean: In Search of a Successful Urbanism

Presented Feb 2011

Alex MacLean is an award winning photographer, pilot, Harvard-trained architect, the author of 5 books and co-author of 4 others. Through his stunning aerial photography, Mr. MacLean provided a one-of-a-kind vantage point on land-use, settlement and urbanism across North America, and discuss how certain factors such as “proximity” are becoming more important than ever for […]

NIMBYism and Affordable Housing

Presented Dec 2010

with Marni Cappe, President of CIP, Housing and Policy Analyst Sean Gadon, Affordable Housing Office, City of Toronto Jo-Anne Poirier, CEO, Ottawa Community Housing NIMBY noun \nim-b?\ (acronym: not-in-my-backyard ) opposition to the locating of something considered undesirable in one’s neighbourhood Affordable housing is often viewed as being unwanted in communities, in many cases due […]

Trees and Suburban Houses: Roots and foundations – the underground conflict

Presented Sep 2010

with James Urban, FASLA As we struggle to preserve Ottawa’s urban forest a new challenge has arisen to the planting of trees in developing areas of the city. Has marine clay soil left behind by Lake Champlain created a conflict between the stability of house foundations and the trees that grace our streets? James Urban […]