public engagement & the urban place
Professional writer and researcher Shannon Kernaghan has created great content in many print and online forms, for industries and professional groups across the U.S. and Canada.
I rode my bicycle past your window last night, pop singer Melanie sang way back in 1971. It didn’t sound that scary back then did it? Is anyone threatened, now, if I want to roll my little blue bike safely along city streets? We know that bicycles use fewer resources than other wheeled transportation, reduce congestion [...]
We have been involved in a number of street piano projects and they all deliver great results for communities wanting to encourage positive human connections in public spaces. It’s great to see pianos springing up all over the place this summer, and impromptu tunes breaking out. As part of an art installation to celebrate the [...]
The act of covering blank walls with murals to deter graffiti isn’t new, but it continues to be a positive move. One such move took place recently in Edmonton (AB, Canada) on the side of a parking garage. The new mural depicts Alberta’s Famous Five – Irene Parlby, Nellie McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Emily Murphy [...]
Last summer a bored 16-year-old tried to steal our vehicle while we slept. He didn’t have success with ours, but did take a neighbour’s truck for a midnight ride, smashing the front end. This same teen was also accused of stealing two ATVs and ditching both in a nearby river. Before the thefts, I watched [...]
Trees are like the lungs of the planet, breathing in carbon dioxide and breathing out oxygen. They also provide a habitat for birds and wildlife, while reducing urban runoff and erosion. But that’s not all they do. Our Steve Woolrich pointed me to an article about a simple way to reduce crime in your neighbourhood [...]
For more years than I’ll admit, I’ve been a devoted viewer of the British soap Coronation Street. My partner grimaces whenever he hears the opening music. “How can you watch that? All they do is yell.” “They do more than yell,” I say. “They work things out.” That’s no small accomplishment, considering their lives are [...]
Our belief: citizens’ visions of success are essential in building deep public engagement and a commitment to change. We need to start by asking ‘what does a great city look like for you?’
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