As President of the PCA, I’m constantly thinking about Parkdale’s quality of life and how we can make our community thrive. In January, I spoke about advocacy with The City of Calgary and Budget and Service Plans 2019-2022. As a very macro effort, Parkdale presented to Council our ideas for our community and Calgary overall. When I think about the micro initiatives we can undertake as a community, I think of one of my favourite online articles, Curbed’s 101 Small Ways You Can Improve Your City. (https://www.curbed.com/2016/9/22/13019420/urban-design-community-building-placemaking) The article outlines small actions we can take to make our community better. Here are ten of my favourite ideas:
- Redesign a crosswalk. In 2015, some Seattle streets were reborn when a rogue designer painted colorful new crosswalks. Instead of removing them, the city made them a permanent part of the landscape, and even appropriated the idea, setting up a community crosswalk program so other neighborhoods could create their own colorful street art. This quick, colorful step forward promotes community pride and increases pedestrian visibility and safety.
- Create a little free library. Libraries may change and evolve, but the joy of reading a book remains. Inspired by the wider Little Free Libraries movement, it’s creating a real-life literary community on city streets.
- Hang some chandeliers. Need a way to brighten a blah block while adding whimsy to a dark sidewalk? Dozens of lighting fixtures ensconced on a sycamore in L.A. created a local landmark, the Chandelier Tree. Neighbors donate to the electricity bill using a repurposed parking meter.
- Network alleys. Reinventing an alley turns a dark, scary space into a vibrant place. Vancouver’s More Awesome Now project, turns alleys into assets with basketball courts, foosball tables, and cafes.
- Map a walking circle around your house. Measure and draw a two-mile radius circle around your house to determine your “walkshed,” the places you can easily walk. You’ll realize how many local amenities are closer than you think—most people walk two miles in about 40 minutes—and you’ll be more likely to hoof it and support local businesses.
- Paddle to work. Bike and ride shares are commonplace. But paddling to work is another thing entirely. In Minneapolis, a paddle share system lets commuters ride the Mississippi, traveling between two stations on the mighty river. Since the docks connect to the city’s bike share system, commuters use both modes of transportation to get to work.
- Set the table for community conversation. After breaking bread with someone, it’s hard to consider them a stranger. This philosophy informed The Longest Table, a 400-person feast put together in Tallahassee to break down social barriers and get neighbors talking with each other.
- Become a tour guide for your neighborhood. Using Vayable, create and share guided tours of the hidden gems in your neighborhood, or discover a unique experience nearby allowing you to become a tourist in your own city.
- Screen a movie outdoors. From a small gathering with neighbors to a larger, site-specific, artistic spectacular, cinema expands horizons and brings people together. Curbed’s article offers tips on hosting your own screening, whether it’s on an actual screen or the side of a building.
- Throw an amazing block party.
I leave you with this thought – also this article’s subtitle, The least you can do to make a big difference where you live. Let’s make Parkdale great!
I look forward to seeing you at our community engagement session on the childcare initiative, at the outdoor skating rink, at our AGM, and on the soccer field.
Amanda Affonso
Twitter @affonsoamanda
