Open Streets Burlington. What's it going to take?......

to move from talking about it, to getting in done in Burlington?

Regardless of who reads Hamilton's document or Peñalosa's 125 page Ciclovia implementation & advocacy manual, without champions to implement & drive the event, it will languish.  

The mayor & city managers will endorse the project but that's a far cry from implementation.  In any organization, when you're high up the hierarchy, your salary & pension is based keeping things the same, what incentive do you have for advocating change, rocking the boat?

It will take a champion(s) to overcome the "insurmountable" (difficult but not impossible) obstacles.  Someone who cares & is willing to put the effort & time navigating through the obstacle course or through the mediocrity that will water down the event (eg 1 event instead of 3).  Someone who can overcome the status quo, the negative comments ("There are too many closures down town.  Not enough time to plan.  It will tie up traffic." etc.),  the inertia to change at city hall.  They've got to work within the organization to get things done following the rules (bending them if necessary) & make it happen.  

Portland got it done because they had champions like Mia Birk & her team of champions, who persisted in the face of all obstacles.  I suspect the Sound of Music & Ribfest succeeded because they had these champions who over came the insurmountable obstacles.

Alex Bilodeau, gold
& family 

I believe there are a number of individuals from various departments at city hall that would come together.  A team that wants to see it done, believes it can be done & is willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.  It remains to be seen if the mayor's & council's willingness to promote & go forward with this project is compelling & forceful - enough to get this group to coalesce into the team of champions we need.

Happy Canada Day everyone!  Wouldn't it be a rush if one lane on Brant where closed from Costco, allowing people in north Burlington to use the paved hydro corridor path to cycle to the festivities at Spenser Smith - all day!

"Don't tell me the sky's the limit, there's footprints on the moon" -  Paul Brandt

Moving from talking to doing!

He is a doer, an influencer, planting seeds around the world.

Travelling the globe, Gil Peñalosa spreads the vision that vibrant, healthy cities are built for people NOT for predominantly for cars.  His organization, 8-80.org promotes the creation of safe infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, and increased investment in greenways, trails, urban parks and other public spaces.  Anyone between the ages of 8 to 80 years old feels safe and comfortable on this infrastructure, consequently they use it - often.

Around the world cities are hosting car-free days on a regular basis.  I believe the number is now well over 800 cities.  Locally, Hamilton, London, Peterborough and many others have already experienced the benefits.  Kitchener-Waterloo, with many of the same obstacles that Burlington faces (KW already closes its core for 3-4 events, a hospital is on the route) has decided to hold 4 car-free Sundays in its downtown core this summer.  You can read about it here.

Gil's energetic presentation in Burlington was inspirational, exciting!  I believe the many seeds Gil has planted in Burlington will soon germinate.  Thank you Gil.  The world needs more Gil Peñalosa!