VPSN Public Space News & Events | 16 September 2010
VPSN PUBLIC SPACE FEATURE EVENTS
- Friday, September 17 – Park(ing) Day
- Friday, October 1 – Greenest City Idea Slam (w/Image Contest & Design Jam)
VPSN MEETINGS & PROJECTS
- Wednesday, October 6 – Volunteer Orientation Meeting
- Monday, September 27 – Billboards & Corporatization Brainstorm
- Monday, September 27 – Halloween Transit Party Planning Meeting
ENGAGE: PUBLIC CONSULTATION OPPORTUNITIES
- Hornby Bike Lane Consultation
PUBLIC SPACE EVENTS
- Saturday, September 25 – Liveable Laneways Festival
- Wednesday, September 29 – Showcasing Urban Environmental Health Inequity
- October 4-7 – Gaining Ground Summit
VPSN PUBLIC SPACE FEATURE EVENTS
Friday, September 17 – PARK(ing) Day
It’s almost here! Join us for PARK(ing) Day this Friday as we transform two parking spots into temporary parks for the public good. Drop by and say hi or stick around and be part of the action!
For the third year running, the Vancouver Public Space Network will be participating in PARK(ing) Day – a global adventure that sees parking spaces transformed into public space playgrounds for young and old. Sound awesome? It is! This year, weather permitting, we will have locations active in the West End and at City Hall:
- West End – 1218 Davie Street (SW Corner @ Bute). 9:30am – 5:00pm;
- City Hall Councillors Parking (N side), 454 West 12th Ave. 11:30am – 2:00pm
:: More information – Simon Wong simon [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca
:: Join the Facebook Event Page to stay up-to-date
Friday, October 1 – Greenest City Idea Slam
We’re very pleased to announce our latest collaboration with the City of Vancouver and Simon Fraser University. The following is an excerpt from the official press release.
Green Ideas Sought for Vancouver’s Future; Top ideas chosen for panel review with CBC Radio’s Bill Richardson and Mayor Robertson
Building on the success of the “Talk Green to Us” campaign, the public is invited to participate in the on-line forum www.talkgreentous.ca to share ideas they want to put into action to help Vancouver become the greenest city. The public can also visit the forum to vote on their favourite ideas.
The most innovative and creative ideas with the most votes will be selected to be pitched to, and receive feedback from, a prestigious panel of experts facilitated by Mayor Gregor Robertson and Bill Richardson, host of CBC Radio’s Saturday Afternoon at the Opera and In Concert programs….
Hosted by the City of Vancouver, the Vancouver Public Space Network and the Simon Fraser University (SFU) City Program, the panel event will take place at the SFU Woodward’s Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre. Poet laureate Brad Cran and musician Veda Hille will be providing entertainment while Jaime Kowal and Ryan Tomkinson will share art and photography… The public are encouraged to attend but must register for the event as space is limited: http://websurvey.sfu.ca/survey/64166248.
:: To see the complete press release check out the VPSN blog
Call for Artists and Creatives – Illustrate Our Transformation Into the Greenest City
Are you an aspiring artist, designer or photographer? The good folks at Green the City will be presenting a variety slide show of “Green City” themes as part of the aforementioned Oct 1 Greenest City event. They’ve got a call out for some artistic expertise and are looking for images that riff off of the theme “Where have we come from and where are we going?” Share your images and visual creations (archival mash-ups, conceptual renderings, photoshop madness… documenting Vancouver’s green past, present and future).
It’s easy to participate. Check out this month’s assignment below, and submit your images and artwork to www.greenthecityvancouver.com. The top-notch work that you submit will be broadcast live as part of the event!
:: To send in your work – submit [at] greenthecityvancouver.com
Design Nerds – Greenest City Jam
One final Greenest City gig that you ought to know about. Our good friends at the Vancouver Design Nerds will be hosting one of their ever popular Design Jam sessions this Friday (Sept 17). The goal of the evening will be to capture 20 Greenest City ideas, either new ones or improvements on existing ones on the talkgreentous.ca website. All ideas will be posted to the website by end of night. We’ll then ask you all to use your social networking powers to vote on your favourite ideas. Takes place 630-10pm at Recollective, 5 West Pender (Buzz 109)
:: More info – Design Nerds Facebook Event Page
VPSN PUBLIC SPACE PROJECTS
Monday, September 27 – Billboards & Public Space Corporatization
Our Corporatization Working Group is convening a meeting to brainstorm issues around the corporatization of public space – that is, the presence of billboards and outdoor signage, corporate branding and forms of privatization affecting Vancouver’s public realm. We’ll be preparing a discussion paper on the subject and we invite you to help us to think through the issues. The meeting takes place Monday the 27th of September at 6:30 pm. Location TBD.
:: For more information – stephanie [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca
Monday, September 27 – Halloween Transit Party Planning
The Public Transit Working Group will be meeting on Sep 27 and are looking for volunteers interested in helping us with our annual Halloween transit party. You remember that, don’t you? Crazy costumes, awesome tunes, lively transformation the region’s transit infrastructure? It’s coming again. Oh yeah. Meeting location TBD.
:: For further details – quinn [at] vancouverpublicspace.ca
Wednesday, October 6 – Volunteer Orientation Meeting
Join us for our monthly volunteer orientation and learn about opportunities to make Vancouver great! Session takes place at 630pm in Room 3047, SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings. Please RSVP.
:: More information or to RSVP – erin at vancouverpublicspace.ca
ENGAGE – PUBLIC CONSULTATION OPPORTUNITIES
Hornby Bike Lane Consultation
We believe that Hornby street is a crucial link in creating a substantive and comprehensive bicycle lane network that will increase ridership and safety and will provide benefits for residents and businesses alike. Not everyone agrees. Either way, this is a good chance for you to sound off on your feelings about the City’s transportation directions.
:: Have something to add? Email mayorandcouncil (at) vancouver.ca
:: City of Vancouver – Bike Vancouver webpage
PUBLIC SPACE EVENTS
Saturday, September 25 – Liveable Laneways Festival
Celebrate the transformation of a neighbourhood laneway into a cool space. This event showcases some excellent placemaking work being done in Mt. Pleasant. Meet at 8th and the Lane (just west of Main Street). With music, markets, a BBQ and more. in the laneway between Main and Quebec, from Broadway north to 7th Ave.)
While you’re there – stop by and say hi! The VPSN’s mapping team will be there gathering information for our community Green Map.
:: More information – Liveable Laneways Facebook Page
Wednesday, September 29 – Showcasing Urban Environmental Health Inequity: Insights from Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Toronto
You are invited to attend an animated final reporting on the community-based research DTES residents have completed since 2008 when a team of researchers from UBC partnered with the DTES Neighbourhood House and other local organizations.
Research focuses on understanding environmental health inequities in the city – with work going to support efforts to create a more “just” city. Takes place 1:00-5:00pm at the Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House, 573 East Hastings @ Princess.
:: More Info/RSVP – Email Rebecca Haber – rhaber [at] interchange.ubc.ca
October 4-7 – Gaining Ground Summit: The Power of Green Cities to Shape the Future
The Gaining Ground conference will have a whole range of interesting workshops and side programs connected with the future of urban spaces. Check out the program here.
We’d also like to draw your attention to a couple of interesting looking sessions :
“Walking the Talk-the Footprint for Active Transportation” – Workshop and Learning Lab (October 4 8:00am-3:30)
As part of the preconference offerings of the Gaining Grounds conference, Walk21 in association with Green Communities Canada is presenting a one day workshop at Simon Fraser University. Join local leaders, decision makers and leading global experts on walking environments and walkability in a full- day workshop exploring this foundation of Active Transportation. This exciting day consists of a working breakfast session with professional training on walking environments, followed by an on street hands-on walking audit, analysis, and in- depth discussion. Learn innovative best practices that can be used by you to make communities more walkable. This session will be led by Dr. Rodney Tolley from Walk21, Jacky Kennedy from Green Communities Canada, and Paul Young, with Public Space Workshop. This workshop and learning lab is $75.00 for the full day, inclusive of breakfast and bagged lunch.
To register – http://www.gaininggroundsummit.com/shoulder_program.htm
Public Lecture on Walkability (October 4)
There will be a free public lecture at 6:00 to 8:00 at SFU on walking and walkability led by Paul Young.
Healing Cities (October 7)
Healing Cities is a part of the larger “Gaining Ground” summit. Register now for an opportunity to explore how cities can be healed, and also be healing places for all of us to inhabit. This exciting and integrative conference will bring together planners, developers, architects, engineers, transportation professionals, massage therapists, physicians, counsellors, energy healers, spiritual leaders, and you! This day of conference will help us learn and explore new ways to approach the task of healing cities. We certainly don’t have all the answers or even all the questions, and we need your input.
:: For more information: Gaining Ground Website