This is the premier lecture of the SFU City Program. Best to register quickly.
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Jennifer Keesmaat
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Own Your City
Friday, December 6, 2013, 7 pm
Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema, Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, SFU at Woodwards, 149 West Hastings, Vancouver
Admission is free, but seating is limited, so we require reservations. Register here.
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Political engagement in cities is at an all-time low, but the passionate public discourse about visions for the places we live is louder than ever. What disconnect is hindering these conversations from translating ideas into reality? Jennifer Keesmaat, chief planner for the City of Toronto, will speak about her experiences shifting public discourse through capacity building, and the underlying factors that lead to the tipping point required to achieve a lasting impact.
Belief, understanding, and engagement must come together to empower communities to drive forward positive change. The City of Toronto’s Planning Division is embarking on a new trajectory aimed at fostering these underlying factors by connecting with its residents at a deeper, more substantive level.
Jennifer challenges each of us to Own Your City, taking personal action to increase the quality of life within the communities we call home.
See also: Lecture details / Jennifer Keesmaat bio
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About the Warren Gill Lecture
Dr. Warren Gill was passionately engaged in the cities and neighbourhoods in which he lived and worked. As a member of the senior administration at SFU, he was instrumental in the development of its downtown campus; as an urban geography professor, he inspired many students. Never satisfied with the status quo, Warren worked constantly to make life in the city more interesting and more inclusive. The intent of this lecture series in his honour is to continue his questioning, raise new ideas and invoke new ways of thinking about life in the urban context.
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Sponsored by: UniverCity, mccarthy tetrault, Polygon, AECOM, SFU Vancouver
