We can fix Regina at the same time that the urban health and community issue is being better understood across Canada. The problem is that most people live outside of downtown metropolises, but want to spend most of their day downtown.
First are some destructive steps:
Most cities are not determined by modern developers, they are straightjacketed by so many out of date rules, they are building for the past.
It’s illegal to build an ideal urban community.
We have to throw out those rules and invent new ones.
Ritual burning of regulations should be a regular occurrence.
Now the constructive:
A holistic vision needs to be dreamed of.
PreWar neighbourhoods are streetcar ready. The buildings need to be adapted with green building standards, however.
Walkable neighborhoods have 30-40 units per acre; Six to ten is more common now, so not far to go.
One to three storey scale. Most people don’t like large apartment towers, or to live next to them.
Reduce Nimbyism, Not In My Back Yard. Give homeowners chance to modify their own property to bring up density, so they gain the profits, not an outside developer.
Independent retail potential.
Consumers buy into culdesacs, but don’t make them pedestrian dead-ends! A culdesac in Saskatoon I know well has a sidewalk at the end of the round part, giving cyclists and pedestrians an escape route from the neighborhood. Taking the long way around discourages walkers.
Landscape and gardening has to be at the forefront of planning. “Growies” are required for a vibrant neighbourhood.
“Get with it with the trees!” they hide a lot of ills.
A new neighborhood model must be devised as it’s the building block of new cities.
Two other drivers:
Consumers and development industry.
Planning is not implementation.
Plans tap into private interest, to be successful. Reflect wide interest, through broad public engagement: Reach to marginalized and the skeptical.
Regulation for profit creation.
No photos of Winter have popped up on the display behind him.
Joe Couture: Harbour Landing. Has density proven popular elsewhere?
Marian Donnelly: Discretionary regulatory framework. She’s a building code maverick. Convert community schools that have been closed into community spaces still.
Back alleyways are important, cutthroughs.
Councilor Michael Fougere: impressed by streetcar community design.
How can we adapt newer neighborhoods?
How can we engage more citizens directly.
Victor Thomas: can’t throw out the rules. How do we build on the current rules we do have?
(This kind of stubborn attitude will hinder better development, I think)
Larry Beasley responds:
Johnny Learner. Curitiba, Brazil
Art is an important part of this process.
Stolen spaces, maybe no building code.
Community centers called Towers of Learning become ways for political leaders to stay in touch with the marginal people.
We have a conventional system, a policing instead of a facilitating system.
He thinks the development people here are looking to change.
Dallas uses tax increment financing.
Marian says designers are great, but their hands are tied by council not being flexible. Michael is staring off into space a bit uncomfortably, beside her.
Don’t make exceptions in an adhoc system. This is essentially a repudiation of Victor’s question.
Development infill applications are the worst. It’s a drama of confrontation. Take the discussion, back it up, ask citizens to audit their neighbourhoods instead. How is it working for you and your family? How is it in the future? Will you be selling later?
If people come to a council meeting to applaud a development, then consultations were a success.
Quality of life equals good economic development.
Delta cities just produce things, with pollution. Alpha cities attract everyone, from plumbers to doctors.
Collaboration works between two powerful forces.
Stu Neibergall has the first question again tonight. Developers are not the bad guys.
Larry says affordability at the middle level is not there for homeowners. Cleverness is missing here, although alright with low level affordability. Dutch are doing well in Rotterdam.
Dallas is endless. Sometimes endlessly bad. No plans for affordability.
Corinne asking about building greener, is it really more expensive? Build with a longer term vision. She’s an Eco adviser. Region of Japan to be zero waste by 2020.
Larry: buildings have to be sustainable. Two difficulties. Still some premium on building green. Developers live in a short term world. Need a feed-in-tariff to kick off these systems. Recycling is a no-brainer, and very profitable!
Composting is easier here, get a good public relations program in place to pick up where gardeners leave off.
Question: are downtowns only good to visit?
Consumer practices don’t match philosophy in most people.
We have an idea that we can’t do it.
Why could people with less education in 1905 build better communities. You can be Robinhood.
Jeannie Mah, an artist speaks about downtown. Not happy about 12th Ave. Lights, and the process didn’t match the community consensus.
Brien said he didn’t need to ask a question because Larry said everything important to hear already.
I let a man cut ahead in line for the last question, then cut in on my “Robinhood moment” pointing out it costs less to recycle, as Larry said. He gave me a thumbs up.
Saskboy's Abandoned Stuff 