Dr. Deborah Cohen, author and senior scientist at the RAND Corporation, presents about neighborhood parks and community health. In her talk, we explored key findings from several recent studies focused on understanding how parks are used and how park policies, practices, features, and characteristics are associated with park use and park-based physical activity.
Jana Lynott of AARP Policy Institute presented synthesized data using AARP's Livability Index to illustrate challenges and opportunities for Austin's aging population. Councilperson Anne Kitchen, Dr. Philip Huang, and Dr. Erica Garcia-Pittman respond to the index scores and discuss how the Age-Friendly Action Plan and Imagine Austin are offering solutions to index data and what else is needed to advance Austin as an age-friend community.
Chuck Marohn of Strong Towns discusses the relationship between mobility, household affordability, and suburban sprawl, including the pitfalls of auto-oriented development. The speaker also presents his approach to building more connected, sustainable, and prosperous neighborhoods.
Gullivar Shepard of Michale Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc. discusses complicated landscape contexts and strategic thinking that have enable the realization of transformative projects for several growing cities. The Waller Creek Chain of Parks project is presented as a reflection upon how landscape planning moves beyond aesthetic place-making to help shape the context of Austin's current growth.
Austin is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. With a rapidly growing city and a changing climate, Austin Water is working with other City departments, a citizen task force, and the community to develop a water plan for the next century. This 100 year water plan will help ensure a diversified, sustainable, and resilient water future while maintaining a strong emphasis on conservation.
Check out the video for a riveting conversation about Water Forward with Autin Water director, Greg Meszaros, and Integrated Water Resource Plan Community Task Force chair, Sharlene Leurig, as they share insights on the process of the importance of creating a long-term plan that will help secure Austin's water supply for future generations.
Urban parks play a vital role in cities as a critical part of civic infrastructure that promotes community engagement, improves health outcomes, drives economic development, and contributes to more resilient, safe, and sustainable communities. Featured speaker Gia Biagi is Senior Director for Urbanism + Civic Impact at Studio Gang, an architecture and urban design collective located in Chicago and New York. A strategic thinker who connects ideas with action, Gia is widely regarded as a thought leader in the preservation, enhancement, and expansion of urban public space. Below is the video of the talk, and you can view her presentation here (Adobe Reader needed to download).
Mick Cornett Oklahoma City Mayor Mayor implemented a series of changes in Oklahoma City. Installing new sidewalks, parks and other place making Features and amenities to get his community moving. Additionally, he encouraged people to pledge people to do more to lose weight and collectively the City lost over a million pounds!
On December 9th, Imagine Austin hosted an inspiring and engaging talk with Dr. Antwi Akom, Associate Professor of Environmental Sociology, Public Health, and STEM Education at San Francisco State University and is a Co-Founder of the Institute for Sustainable Economic, Educational, and Environmental Design (I-SEEED), which focuses on building sustainable cities and schools. Dr. Akom spoke at length about how we can create linkages between community place-making, green infrastructure and neighborhood advocacy to make great neighborhoods, what Austin can do to increase community participation in economically disadvantaged communities to create more neighborhood activists and leaders, and how we can build a vibrant, resilient, and diverse economy that celebrates innovation and creativity, provides equitable opportunities for all people, and protects the environment.
On October 30th Imagine Austin and CNU hosted a morning with co-founder of Dover, Kohl & Partners Town Planning based in Coral Gables, Florida, Victor Dover. Victor discussed how we can we elevate Austin by creating streets that are beautiful and memorable places. He will share inspiring images and examples from the great cities and boulevards of history. He will showcase the specific design elements that add up to great, inviting streets and cities. He’ll challenge Austinites to set a high standard for handsome streets that generate civic pride.
Panelists from this Speaker Series event included Greg Meszaros, the Director of Austin Water Utility, and John Hofmann, Executive VP with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), where they answered questions addressing water planning and climate change, including : What do recent rains mean for the drought? How will climate change affect our region?
What are Austin Water and LCRA doing to preserve our water resources? Austin and Central Texas are booming. Is there enough water for everyone? How about in 25 years when our population is expected to double?
Additionally, the presentations are available for download here.
Jana Lynott of AARP Policy Institute presented synthesized data using AARP's Livability Index to illustrate challenges and opportunities for Austin's aging population. Councilperson Anne Kitchen, Dr. Philip Huang, and Dr. Erica Garcia-Pittman respond to the index scores and discuss how the Age-Friendly Action Plan and Imagine Austin are offering solutions to index data and what else is needed to advance Austin as an age-friend community.
Chuck Marohn of Strong Towns discusses the relationship between mobility, household affordability, and suburban sprawl, including the pitfalls of auto-oriented development. The speaker also presents his approach to building more connected, sustainable, and prosperous neighborhoods.
Gullivar Shepard of Michale Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc. discusses complicated landscape contexts and strategic thinking that have enable the realization of transformative projects for several growing cities. The Waller Creek Chain of Parks project is presented as a reflection upon how landscape planning moves beyond aesthetic place-making to help shape the context of Austin's current growth.
Austin is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. With a rapidly growing city and a changing climate, Austin Water is working with other City departments, a citizen task force, and the community to develop a water plan for the next century. This 100 year water plan will help ensure a diversified, sustainable, and resilient water future while maintaining a strong emphasis on conservation.
Check out the video for a riveting conversation about Water Forward with Autin Water director, Greg Meszaros, and Integrated Water Resource Plan Community Task Force chair, Sharlene Leurig, as they share insights on the process of the importance of creating a long-term plan that will help secure Austin's water supply for future generations.
Urban parks play a vital role in cities as a critical part of civic infrastructure that promotes community engagement, improves health outcomes, drives economic development, and contributes to more resilient, safe, and sustainable communities. Featured speaker Gia Biagi is Senior Director for Urbanism + Civic Impact at Studio Gang, an architecture and urban design collective located in Chicago and New York. A strategic thinker who connects ideas with action, Gia is widely regarded as a thought leader in the preservation, enhancement, and expansion of urban public space. Below is the video of the talk, and you can view her presentation here (Adobe Reader needed to download).
Mick Cornett Oklahoma City Mayor Mayor implemented a series of changes in Oklahoma City. Installing new sidewalks, parks and other place making Features and amenities to get his community moving. Additionally, he encouraged people to pledge people to do more to lose weight and collectively the City lost over a million pounds!
On December 9th, Imagine Austin hosted an inspiring and engaging talk with Dr. Antwi Akom, Associate Professor of Environmental Sociology, Public Health, and STEM Education at San Francisco State University and is a Co-Founder of the Institute for Sustainable Economic, Educational, and Environmental Design (I-SEEED), which focuses on building sustainable cities and schools. Dr. Akom spoke at length about how we can create linkages between community place-making, green infrastructure and neighborhood advocacy to make great neighborhoods, what Austin can do to increase community participation in economically disadvantaged communities to create more neighborhood activists and leaders, and how we can build a vibrant, resilient, and diverse economy that celebrates innovation and creativity, provides equitable opportunities for all people, and protects the environment.
On October 30th Imagine Austin and CNU hosted a morning with co-founder of Dover, Kohl & Partners Town Planning based in Coral Gables, Florida, Victor Dover. Victor discussed how we can we elevate Austin by creating streets that are beautiful and memorable places. He will share inspiring images and examples from the great cities and boulevards of history. He will showcase the specific design elements that add up to great, inviting streets and cities. He’ll challenge Austinites to set a high standard for handsome streets that generate civic pride.
Panelists from this Speaker Series event included Greg Meszaros, the Director of Austin Water Utility, and John Hofmann, Executive VP with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), where they answered questions addressing water planning and climate change, including : What do recent rains mean for the drought? How will climate change affect our region?
What are Austin Water and LCRA doing to preserve our water resources? Austin and Central Texas are booming. Is there enough water for everyone? How about in 25 years when our population is expected to double?
Additionally, the presentations are available for download here.