Complete Streets are more than just for cyclists
We could do this in Saskatoon. We really could. Public transit, cars, pedestrians, and cyclists all on one street.
New Urbanism’s big impact on medium cities
A quick look at what some huge decisions made by medium sized cities have done since they were made 20 years ago In mid-sized or smaller cities, the effects of New Urbanism can be much more dramatic. In these places, a few good infill projects, livelier public spaces, and new streetscapes can feel like a…
Nature City Festival
The Nature City Festival is about to get started: A whole week of (mostly free) nature activities for all ages. May 25-31, 2014 Click here for more details.
Jane’s Walks are this weekend
May 2nd to 4th is the annual Jane’s Walk event, staged by thousands of people across the globe in their respective cities. If you’re not familiar with the event, it’s named after Jane Jacobs, author of the influential The Death and Life of Great American Cities (among others) and a key figure in the field of…
Why We Can’s Get Sidewalk Cafes Right in North America
We tend to prioritize the private over the public America’s first sidewalk café appeared to have surfaced in the summer of 1914. According to one account, it arose on the west side of Broadway, between 60th and 61st, just north of Columbus Circle. It was in front of a popular restaurant called Bustanoby’s, which audaciously…
How L.A. Designed Simple Kits That Let You ‘Make-Your-Own’ Park
What a great idea to make some areas of Saskatoon more pedestrian friendly In Los Angeles, just 16 percent of the city’s acreage is dedicated to park land, placing it at 34 out of 50 cities ranked in the Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore. So earlier this year, the city’s Department of Transportation launched a…
There’s Basically No Way Not to Be a Gentrifier
The response to yesterday’s post in The Atlantic Cities We know, too, that well-to-do urban neighborhoods that hoard scarce resources aren’t much better. And if you move to a poor or working-class neighborhood with your college degree, earning potential, and cultural power, the rising rents that ripple outward from you and your friends can be…
20 Ways Not to Be a Gentrifier
Interesting list on building community together in Alternet. Many people think they can move into someone else’s neighborhood and start making it over as their own, regardless of the folks already living there. Without understanding the culture of their new community, these new residents place value judgements on the neighborhood based on the cultural norms…
Our Bridge to the Future is Broken
Are Malls Dead?
Are malls a dying breed? When the Woodville Mall opened, in 1969, in Northwood, Ohio, a suburb of Toledo, its developers bragged about the mall’s million square feet of enclosed space; its anchor tenants, which included Sears and J. C. Penney; and its air-conditioning—seventy-two degrees, year-round! Two years later, the Toledo Blade published a front-page…
Shaping Saskatoon with Social Media
As an avid Twitter user I read this post from Woodhouse on smart technology and social media potential for cities with alacrity. With Saskatoon’s commitment to open data from the city and strong developer scene, there’s no reason why we can’t make Saskatoon accessible, friendly, and on-point. We’ve speculated on Twitter about having railway crossings that can send out alerts,…