Photos from Plan It on Campus

A big thanks to all of you who came out on April 2 to see what Plan It has to offer Calgary! This was hands-down the biggest event put together by the UrbanCSA and the culmination of a whole bunch of hard work. It was great to see so many people showing up to see what the future of the city might hold, and also how much free pizza can be handed out at a single event. Check out some of the photos below!

Also, word on the street is that our hoodies have arrived, so be on the lookout next week. Enjoy your Easter weekend, and be sure to check your inbox to see the status of the UrbanCSA’s first year-end party.

Youth participation urged in planning

Guillermo Guglietti wants a say in his future.

As the president of the Urban Calgary Students Association at the University of Calgary, Guglietti said he was dismayed by the overwhelming ratio of senior citizens to youth he’s seen at open houses for Plan It Calgary, the city’s long-term urban development strategy.

“We always saw the same faces and a lot of them were in their 60s and 70s,” said Guglietti.

“But I’m 23 right now and I’ll be 83 when this finishes, so I am the one inheriting this plan.”

Urban CSA approached Plan It Calgary last week, saying city planners should garner more feedback from teens and 20-somethings, as they will be affected by the 60-year-plan for most of their lives.

“We thought, ‘Why not bring this to the youth?’ ” said Guglietti.

To continue reading click here

Young People’s Vision For A Better City; Forum urges foresight

When city officials promote a vision of Calgary’s future and developers jeer the long-range blueprint, they often jokingly admit they probably won’t be alive long enough to see that denser city which the document envisions 60 years from now.

Twenty-something university students are more likely to survive to see that future.

At a University of Calgary campus event Thursday, dozens of them embraced Plan It’s new vision for limits to further sprawl and a quadrupling of the transit system’s service levels.

To read more click here

Event: UrbanCSA @ Mount Royal College

Looks like students from other institutions besides the University of Calgary have decided to get involved in raising awareness for this city’s potential new development plan. The UrbanCSA will be joining Plan It down at Mount Royal College at their presentation the day after the one at the U of C.

The event will be Friday, April 3 from 12:30-2:00 pm in the food court of Wyckham House, located at the west gate entrance of Mount Royal College.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Big Event: UrbanCSA Presents Plan It on Campus

What: The UrbanCSA is proud to present Plan It Calgary at the University of Calgary. There will be displays outlining not only the purposes of the document, but the reasons for its implementation, the role of the students, and a way to provide feedback to the city on just how we want it to look in the future.

Who: On hand to give presentations will be Pat Gordon, project manager of Plan It, and Dr. Byron Miller, the head of the Urban Studies program on campus. Members of the UrbanCSA will be there as well to give further information on the document and to answer any questions you might have.

Where: The event will be held in the South Courtyard of MacEwan Hall (between the Campus Security Office and the SU office).

When: This Thursday, April 2 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.

This event is not just for students, but rather is an opportunity for all Calgarians to get educated about the potential this city has and to get involved in directing its future. Feel free to come by at any time, and a few other displays will be set up around campus to get more people interested. We hope to see you there!

Here’s a small preview of one of the displays we’ve created:

For further details, or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to e-mail us.

New Opinion – Refining the Public Consultation Process at Fort Calgary

On March 3, Tom Howard and I made the courageous journey all the way from the East Village, across the vast plains, and out to Fort Calgary to party with some planners. The event, put on by the Alberta Association of the Canadian Institute of Planners and the City of Calgary, was orchestrated for planners to show what had been learned through the new processes of public consultation used to create the Brentwood TOD. While there are those in the community that would argue the City did not go far enough to listen to all possible perspectives, what was apparent to my fresh eyes was that not only did the City take a serious approach to public consultation, but they are actively seeking to make the process more efficient and effective for all stakeholders.

Continue reading “Refining the Public Consultation Process at Fort Calgary”

Gary Holden on campus on Wednesday

Gary Holden, CEO of ENMAX, will be speaking at the U of C on Wednesday, February 11. He will be talking about “building a sustainable future”, in which he is well-placed to have a controlling stake s the head of one of the most progressive and innovative utilities in Canada.

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009 @ 2:00 PM
Location: PF 3160, the Faculty of Environmental Design

UBUD Project Under SU Consideration

The Undergraduate Bureau of Urban Design submitted a project last semester that looked at an enhancement of the facilities at the Craigie Hall bus loop at the south end of campus. It’s currently under review by the Students Union, who will determine whether or not to provide funding for the project. Take a look at the renders below and feel free to comment on it!

The UrbanCSA wishes the best of luck to the UBUD in getting its project approved! For any more information on this project or the UBUD in general, check out their website (http://ubudcalgary.com) or e-mail Connor at rethinkyourworld@yahoo.ca.

Events: ISEEE Students’ Association 3rd Annual Networking Dinner

 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2009

MacEwan Hall (lower floor), University of Calgary

Cocktails: 5:30 p.m.; Program: 6:30 p.m.; Dinner: 6:45 p.m.

IN SUPPORT OF SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES FOR THE COMMUNITY AND
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY’S STUDENTS

• Portion of proceeds donated to the Light Up the World Foundation

• Delicious four-course dinner Book signing by Clint Wilder

• Stupendous door prizes Excellent networking opportunities

Solar Ready Housing: Presentation

On October 15th, Andrew Sedor Presented to City of Calgary Council on Solar Ready Housing.

What is a solar ready house?

A solar ready house, in short, is a house that can easily and inexpensively be retrofitted with solar panels or other solar technologies that will maximize the solar efficiency. Solar ready homes do not contain solar panels.

Why do we need solar ready housing?

Because of the relatively expensive price of solar panels, solar power is currently not a viable option for most households. But in a few years, solar power is predicted to be less expensive than other non-renewable forms of energy. When that day comes, households still may have issues converting to solar energy because of roof orientation, shading and the overall construction of their home.

How much does it cost?

Incorporating “solar ready” into a building plan costs around $300. While retrofitting a house for solar can cost thousands of dollars.

Sustainable Suburbs: Presentation

On August 12th 2008, Andrew Sedor presented to City of Calgary staff on sustainable suburbs at the City of Calgary Student conference.

The presentation focuses on sustainable European communities and the policy it took for the communities to exist.  The three communities focused on in the presentation are:

• Vauban, in Freiburg Germany
• Kronsberg, in Hanover Germany
• West Harbor Development, in Malmo Sweden

UrbanCSA – Sustainable Suburbs Presentation – Text

UrbanCSA – Sustainable Suburbs Presentation – Visual

Bicycle Lanes: Presentation

A presentation of the functional application of bicycle lanes throughout Europe was given to the Transportation Department of the City of Calgary on August 12, 2008. The talk was conducted by Justin Pruss, Andrew Sedor and Guillermo Guglietti, and explored the different alternatives for the integration of bicycles in urban centres.

Recently pointed by CBC as one of the most sustainable cities in the world, Copenhagen bases over 40% of its urban transportation in its bicycle network. Separated grade lanes, traffic lights, subsidized bike rentals and a strong educational campaign have turned this capital into a bicycle heaven. Likewise, Paris has successfully implemented the Velib, a bicycle rental scheme that has openly allowed Parisians to access over 26,000 bicycles around the city.

Personal experience using the mentioned systems was constrasted with Calgary’s biking network which, although having an excelent recreational infrastructure, it has significant room for improvement in its functional application. European alternatives and their possible application to Calgary’s reality were further discussed with the Transportation Department.

The meeting, which extended well over the original twenty minutes, was very possitive and we hope we were able to facilitate experience and valuable information to the Transportation Department.

Cycling in Europe (PDF)