City Resolutions #7

I find that City Resolution #7 from Brent Toderian is one that is actually changing the way we think about and design cities. It states, "When you’re supporting your kid’s interests (or your own), choose options that are in your neighborhood or are otherwise “local,” rather than sentencing you and your kids (and everyone else) to have to drive all over the city or region." 

After spending several weekends in a row cycling from our then suburban home to the downtown core, my spouse and I chuckled about just moving downtown given all of the time we seemed to spend there. A few years later, we did in fact make that move. We were drawn both to activities happening in the core, as well as the walkability to parks, shops, work, and transit.

I see this trend with friends and family as well. Many people want to be able to access services, entertainment, and recreation without necessarily packing into a vehicle. As more folks make these choices, cities begin to respond. Cities look at how and where they provide resources such as transit, sidewalks, businesses, and community centres.

This doesn't mean everyone needs to pack up and move to a central neighbourhood (though some will). It does mean city staff and officials are considering new (and old!) ways of designing our cities to make it easier for people to make the decision to leave a car at home and instead choose very local options instead. #365ofgoodWR

Do you intentionally choose activities close to home? Are there things that you'd love to have access to without driving?

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