Calling all Canadian Placemakers and Public Space Advocates!
As many of you will know, this fall Vancouver is hosting hundreds of practitioners, policy makers, and activists from around the world for Placemaking Week (PW) September 12-17. Several Canadians are already planning to attend some portion of, or all of the week. If this is the first you’re hearing about it, please check out the website for more information on the scope of the program.
As part of the week’s activities, we’re pleased to announce a special meeting for Canadian placemakers, on Saturday, September 17th from 10 am – 5 pm. You’re invited!
Building off the momentum and excitement of PW, Placemaking: Made in Canada is a fabulous opportunity for Canadian placemakers to leverage the ideas and momentum that the week will generate, and advance our work locally, and across the country.
WHEN: September 17th 2016. 830 am – 4 pm (final schedule will be posted shortly)
WHERE: Djaved Mowafaghian World Arts Centre, SFU. 149 West Hastings Street
RSVP: to lnedup@evergreencityworks.ca
COST: The event is FREE but space is limited; registration is required
Why should you attend the Canadian Placemakers Meeting?
Over the last few years several initiatives have laid the groundwork for placemaking and public space advocacy to take hold in Canada. Numerous examples of innovative approaches can be found across the country, but amidst these strong local efforts, there are various obstacles we are each facing in fully realizing the benefits from our efforts. And currently, there is no existing vehicle in Canada that joins up these efforts and creates beneficial synergies.
This meeting gives us an opportunity to advance placemaking, and a renewed commitment to the public realm, as central to the new urban agenda the federal, provincial and local governments and civic leaders are calling for.
Expected outcomes of the meeting
What are our best practices and how can we share our ‘lessons learned’ with each other? How can we strengthen the placemaking agenda across the widest array of stakeholders – engaging community and cultural groups, artists, local government, business and development communities in creating better, more just, places? What are the obstacles, and how can we work collectively to address them? How might a national strategy strengthen each of our efforts working locally, as well as regionally and provincially?
These are just a few of the questions we anticipate will surface as we look at ways to better leverage placemaking in Canada.
Next Steps
Here’s the plan for the next few months:
- Between now and September, the Made in Canada organizing committee will work with you to identify the key issues and opportunities for the future of placemaking in Canada;
- We will circulate draft documents to inform our conversation, as well as a short survey to gather input for the event;
- On the Saturday, September 17 of Placemaking Week, a cross-section of Canadian placemakers will meet to discuss what future steps we should be taking to catalyze real change in Canadian cities.
- Results of this session will be circulated to partners, potential funders, and policy makers across the country.
We very much hope you, and any Canadian colleagues you will have with you at Placemaking Week, can stay on and participate in Placemaking: Made in Canada. If you are not intending to come to Placemaking Week, please don’t let that deter you from attending this session. We are keen to have diverse participation in this meeting and hope all who would like to attend are able to.
Register Today!
Please confirm your participation to Lhazin Nedup (lnedup@evergreencityworks.ca), so that we can make the necessary arrangements. The event is free, but space is limited, and registration is required.