Charles Montgomery asks us to set aside this bleak image in his book Happy City. In its place, the methods that cities all over the world have used to change their own narrative. We are taken to Bogotá where a visionary mayor imagined a city safe for children to bike to school. Enrique Peñalosa was elected in 1997 when the city was a dangerous and dysfunctional place to live. He could not promise wealth to its citizens, so he promised safety on the roads and access to public areas instead. He tore down walls that had been built around parks, and called for car free holidays that still take place today. These days are called ciclovías and they mean that people, old and young can safely bike and walk and skate in the streets.

In the middle of the 20^th century, Copenhagen was plagued by gridlock. While proposals were made to widen roads and to construct a highway through the downtown, the city council decided to try an experiment. All cars would be banned from a number of streets in the busy city centre. This decision was not met with universal approval, but despite the initial pushback, business grew as foot traffic grew. Rather than desert the centuries old district, people flocked to it.

Once safety and desirability are established, gentrification often follows. The unfortunate truth of most cities is that they are not accessible to all levels of income. The areas that get the most attention and care are the areas that have the most political and economic capital. Must inclusiveness be considered when we build our happy city? Montgomery cites sociologists and psychologists who have proven that exposure between different kinds of people grows empathy and trust in a community. Once you know the people you share your neighborhood with, you feel safer.

In a fascinating chapter about Vancouver neighborhoods, Montgomery describes the “streetcar suburb.”  This is a residential area consisting of houses, which is never further than a quarter mile from public transit and commercial zones. These types of neighborhoods report the highest levels of community happiness and conviviality, even though new development is far more common in the form of exurban sprawl and 20 storey condominium buildings.  Through infill, it is possible to increase population density in a streetcar suburb without sacrificing the conviviality of an open air neighborhood.

Through these real world examples of urban design initiatives and (in some cases) decades of the resulting effects, Happy City makes a strong case that quality of life is not accidental. Many of the aspects of urban living that we accept as inescapable can change and in fact are changing. As we learn more about what makes people happy, what makes a residence feel like a home and what turns a neighborhood into a community we only get closer to building the kind of future we want.

NextGen will be hosting Charles Montgomery to speak more on this subject on October 1^st. Buy your tickets now!

• Chris Gusen – Edmonton: DIYcity
• Sarah Feldman - What Moves You? Let’s Talk Transit
• Nadir Bellahmer - The Golden Age of Design During the Dark Ages
• Omar Reyes - An Inconvenient Immigrant: A Love Story
• Jason Blower - Pride Within a Canvas
• John Steil - Words on Walls
• Jenny Hong - Edmonton’s Energy Transition: Are You In?
• Dustin Bajer - The Nature of Cities
• Vanessa Thomas - Beware the Smart City: Insights from the UK and Beyond
• Jeff Chase - On Place and Planning from the Heart

For PKN 23, we’ve partnered with the Alberta Professional Planners Institute (APPI) and have built the event surrounding an urban planning theme.

Date: Thursday, September 17, 2015
Time: Doors and bar open at 6:30 p.m. Presentations begin at 7:30 p.m.
Location: McLab Theatre, Citadel Theatre, 9828 101A Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3C6
Cost: $17 or $15 with student ID + taxes.
Buy Tickets: Purchase your digital tickets online here*

*If you purchased tickets to our rained-out PKN22, you have been reassigned general seats. Please pick up your ticket beginning on August 21 at 9:30am until September 16 at 5pm. Everyone who purchased a ticket must show two forms of ID. No tickets will be released unless the person whose name is associated with the ticket is in person and presents their ID. No exceptions.*

More than 200 presentations have been given at Edmonton PKNs to date on wide-ranging topics, from donairs to lighting up Edmonton’s bridges and everything in between. Be part of the conversation on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #yegpkn.

Thanks to Stantec, our awesome sole presenting sponsor, for their ongoing support of our Pecha Kucha nights – we couldn’t do it without them! Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria also returns for PKN 23 with gift cards for all ticket holders.

PKN 23’s sponsors are the Stantec, the City of Edmonton, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, Graphos, and Klein Dytham.

What is Pecha Kucha?
Drawing its name from the Japanese phrase for “the sound of chit chat”, Pecha Kucha Night was devised by Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture in February 2003 as a venue for young designers to meet, network, exchange ideas and discuss their work in public. It rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds, for a total presentation length of six minutes and 40 seconds. Why this format you ask? It keeps presentations concise, fast-paced and entertaining.

For more information, visit pechakucha.org

About Edmonton’s NextGen
Formed in 2006, Edmonton’s NextGen is an initiative of the City of Edmonton that is focused on creating a city that attracts and gives a voice to the next generation in the life and growth of Edmonton’s communities. NextGen is a hub for connecting people, places, community and ideas. Through events, leadership opportunities and professional development, NextGen fosters young leaders and supports initiatives of interest to the next generation.

Date: Thursday, September 17, 2015

Time: Doors and bar open at 6:30 p.m. Presentations begin at 7:30 p.m.

Location: McLab Theatre, Citadel Theatre, 9828 101A Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3C6

Cost: $17 or $15 with student ID + taxes.

Buy Tickets: Purchase your digital tickets online here*

*If you purchased tickets to our rained-out PKN22, you have been reassigned general seats. Please pick up your ticket beginning on August 21 at 9:30am until September 16 at 5pm. Everyone who purchased a ticket must show two forms of ID. No tickets will be released unless the person whose name is associated with the ticket is in person and presents their ID. No exceptions.*

More than 200 presentations have been given at Edmonton PKNs to date on wide-ranging topics, from donairs to lighting up Edmonton’s bridges and everything in between. The presenter line-up will be announced soon!

Be part of the conversation on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #yegpkn.

Thanks to Stantec, our awesome sole presenting sponsor, for their ongoing support of our Pecha Kucha nights – we couldn’t do it without them! Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria also returns for PKN 23 with gift cards for all ticket holders.

PKN 23’s sponsors are the Stantec, the City of Edmonton, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, Graphos, and Klein Dytham.

What is Pecha Kucha?
Drawing its name from the Japanese phrase for “the sound of chit chat”, Pecha Kucha Night was devised by Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture in February 2003 as a venue for young designers to meet, network, exchange ideas and discuss their work in public. It rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds, for a total presentation length of six minutes and 40 seconds. Why this format you ask? It keeps presentations concise, fast-paced and entertaining.

For more information, visit pechakucha.org

About Edmonton’s NextGen
Formed in 2006, Edmonton’s NextGen is an initiative of the City of Edmonton that is focused on creating a city that attracts and gives a voice to the next generation in the life and growth of Edmonton’s communities. NextGen is a hub for connecting people, places, community and ideas. Through events, leadership opportunities and professional development, NextGen fosters young leaders and supports initiatives of interest to the next generation.

This is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for! We’re looking for five urban planning-related presentations, as well as five other unique topics. That inspiring idea you’ve been excited about needs to be shared at the next Pecha Kucha, with 500 of Edmonton’s most supportive and engaged young people. Since our first Pecha Kucha, we’ve seen more than 200 presentations covering a wide range of topics. To see some of our past presenters, check out these recap blog posts from Pecha Kucha 19 and 20.

Submit your brilliant idea to us using our super convenient online form. The submission deadline is August 14 and selection process will happen in the following week. And while you’re waiting to hear back from us, you can prepare yourself by checking out our 10 steps to a great Pecha Kucha presentation.

What is Pecha Kucha?

Drawing its name from the Japanese term for “the sound of chit chat”, Pecha Kucha Night was devised by Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture in February 2003 as a venue for young designers to meet, network, exchange ideas and discuss their work in public. It rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds, for a total presentation length of six minutes and 40 seconds. Why this format you ask? It keeps presentations concise, fast-paced and entertaining.

For more information, visit pechakucha.org

It takes an amazing and talented group of people to put on a Pecha Kucha. Those who submitted presentations, the presenters who worked hard to create engaging presentations, the volunteers who have been planning for the past few months, the vendors who wanted to participate and the sponsors who support us at every event. And of course, all of YOU who bought tickets and chose to spend their Thursday night with all of us.

We are currently looking into options for rescheduling the event but as it’s too soon to be certain this is doable, we wanted to give everyone who bought tickets a few options:

Option 1: Hang onto your ticket and bring it to the next Pecha Kucha, whether that’s a rescheduled PKN22 or PKN23 in September.

Option 2: Bring your ticket to our office between Mon-Fri from 8:30am-4:00pm (The City of Edmonton, (11th Floor CN Tower, 10004-104 Ave NW) in exchange for THREE Famoso gift cards for FREE pizza.

Option 3: A full refund of your money, which you can request via email at nextgen@edmonton.ca. Please send your refund request by Monday, June 15 at 1pm. After this date, will not be able to provide a refund via Eventbrite.

If you have any other questions, please email us at nextgen@edmonton.ca. We can also find us on Twitter and Facebook. Thank you so much and we’ll see you at the next Pecha Kucha Night!

As the City’s Aboriginal Relations Projects Coordinator, trustee on the Edmonton Public Library Board, and co-founder of Reconciliation in Solidarity Edmonton (RISE), Miranda considers herself to be an active ‘Edmonton Enthusiast’ and ‘Community Connector’. Miranda is also involved in the City’s Opening the Potential: Mentoring for Women initiative, where she was personally mentored by Mayor Don Iveson.

I recently sat down with Miranda to learn more about the projects she has underway and what makes her so passionate about building a strong community.

1) What does it mean to be a ‘Community Connector’? 

“I’ve discovered that people who are passionate about where they work and play tend to gravitate to one another. Through my experience as a volunteer in the community, I’ve developed a lot of relationships with incredible people in Edmonton who are experts in their fields. If I don’t know something, I usually know or can find someone who does. I love connecting people and ideas.”

2) Describe your experience as the Mayor’s mentee—how did you get involved and what have you learned?

“This opportunity was offered by the City’s Opening the Potential: Mentoring for Women program, established in 2011. The goal of this initiative has been to increase the number of women in municipal politics to 30 per cent. I knew Mayor Don Iveson personally from the Edmonton Public Library Board, so I was matched with him. It’s been an incredible experience—attending his meetings, learning from him, and even offering my perspective. The opportunity has provided me with an entirely different view of the world and understanding of the government.

One of the biggest takeaways I’ve had from my time with the Mayor has been learning about his decision-making technique. In many meetings, I’ve heard him repeat word-for-word, exactly what others have said. He really listens and trusts his team of expert advisors before making a decision. That’s something I truly respect.”

3) What projects do you currently have ‘in the works’?

“After the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) last year, I’ve had a lot of conversations with people about the impact that stories of residential schools have had on them. Many people I spoke with wanted to do something, but didn’t want to ‘intrude’. I knew that this fear of intrusion had to be worked through to make a change.

I invited a number of people (40 in total) to my home to watch the statement I made to the TRC last year as an intergenerational survivor of residential schools. After watching this, we all agreed that we had to get over our fears.

Throughout the month of June, RISE (Reconciliation in Solidarity Edmonton), will be inviting community members to write messages of reconciliation on wooden hearts. These ‘hearts’ will be planted outside of City Hall to create a garden of hope. Our goal is to have 1,000 hearts planted by June 21—National Aboriginal Day.

To participate, attend one of our Heart Garden Workbees on June 14 or June 15.”

4) What advice do you have for Edmontonians who want to get involved in the community (as you have), but don’t know where to start?

“The driving force behind ‘getting involved’ needs to be creating a community you want to live in. First, find something you’re passionate about and want to change. This could relate to: environmental issues, urban design, recreation, or something else. Once you’ve found that personal passion, look for ways to engage in the process.

NextGen is a great place to start as well—they bring so many passions together. After my presentation, ‘Why Reconciliation and Why Now’, at the last Pecha Kucha Night, a lot of audience members came up to me—wanting to get involved to help make a change. Some are now involved in RISE!”

5) Closing thoughts?

“No matter what I do, I want to be in a place where I can have the most impact. Impacting the community is what really drives me.

The whole month of June is Aboriginal Month—culminating on June 21 for National Aboriginal Day. To get involved and celebrate, visit the City of Edmonton’s list of community events. Also, consider contributing to the Heart Garden. More information on RISE can also be found on our official Facebook page.

Hope to see you at some of these great events!”

• James Harley – Travelling Abroad: A Queer Experience
• Dustin Bajer – Biophilic Cities: Rewilding our Urban Landscapes
• Paul Lopushinsky – The Room: The Best Worst Movie Ever and Why it’s Essential Viewing
• Linda Marie Johnson – Rolling in Visitation Rights
• Andrew & Jen Ferrence and Nadim Chin – A Whole Lotta F*ck Yeah!
• Brad Ferguson – From Melbourne, With Love
• Omar Reyes – The Inconvenient Immigrant: A Love Story
• Deanne Coish & Nicole Barby – Prairie Girls Racing and Finding Female Shredders
• Josh Thompson – Why I’ve Stopped Using the Word “Busy”
• Marni Panas – My Life in Transition: A Personal Journey to Living Authentically

If you don’t’ have tickets yet, what are you waiting for? Purchase your digital tickets online here. And don’t’ forget PKN22 is BYOB, which means bring-your-own-blanket (or chairs) because we are all getting comfy on the the grass in Louise McKinney Park!

Date: Thursday, June 11, 2015
Time: Doors and bar open at 6:30 p.m. Presentations begin at 7:30 p.m.
Location: Louise McKinney Park, 9999 Grierson Hill Rd NW, Edmonton, AB T5H 2A4
Cost: $17 or $15 with student ID + taxes.

PKN 22 features presentations on local ideas, projects and musings in the 20 slides at 20 seconds per slide format made popular by worldwide by Klein Dytham Architecture. More than 200 presentations have been given at Edmonton PKNs to date on wide-ranging topics, from donairs to lighting up Edmonton’s bridges and everything in between. Be part of the conversation on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #yegpkn.

Thanks to Stantec, our awesome sole presenting sponsor, for their ongoing support of our Pecha Kucha nights – we couldn’t do it without them!

As always, the awesome and delicious Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria also returns to support PKN 22, including gift cards for all ticket holders. And who can say no to free pizza?

What is Pecha Kucha?
Drawing its name from the Japanese phrase for “the sound of chit chat”, Pecha Kucha Night was devised by Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture in February 2003 as a venue for young designers to meet, network, exchange ideas and discuss their work in public. It rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds, for a total presentation length of six minutes and 40 seconds. Why this format you ask? It keeps presentations concise, fast-paced and entertaining.

For more information, visit pechakucha.org

About Edmonton’s NextGen
Formed in 2006, Edmonton’s NextGen is an initiative of the City of Edmonton that is focused on creating a city that attracts and gives a voice to the next generation in the life and growth of Edmonton’s communities. NextGen is a hub for connecting people, places, community and ideas. Through events, leadership opportunities and professional development, NextGen fosters young leaders and supports initiatives of interest to the next generation.

Thanks to PKN 22’s sponsors: Stantec, the City of Edmonton, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, Graphos, and Klein Dytham.

This is the 22^nd Pecha Kucha Night (PKN)—an event that has become synonymous with creativity, dynamism, and innovation among Edmontonians. If you haven’t had a chance to check out a Pecha Kucha event yet, this is a great one to attend.

I recently caught up with Ian Smith, one of the Co-Chairs of Pecha Kucha Night, to learn more about what makes all gatherings so successful and the genius behind the 20×20 slides.

 Why did you take on the role of Pecha Kucha Co-Chair?

“I started volunteering with NextGen three years ago and continued to be drawn to the organization because of the volunteers I worked with. NextGen volunteers are an incredibly engaging and dynamic group of people, from a range of backgrounds. When I saw the Pecha Kucha Night Co-Chair position advertised, I immediately knew it was a natural progression for me.”

What do you enjoy most about Pecha Kucha Nights?

“This is the coolest event in Edmonton.

It’s so satisfying to see the presenters start with a single idea, create a presentation out of it, present, then discuss the idea with people in the audience after the show.

Our volunteers are also a huge reason for why I enjoy these events and how PKN comes together so successfully. As Co-Chairs, myself and Beata Montgomery, like to give our volunteers a lot of creative freedom. Our group of volunteers come together from many diverse backgrounds to bring something incredible to life.

I also like seeing how much fun people in the audience are having during the events. We’re inviting the community to showcase everything great about Edmonton—and celebrate it.”

What do you feel that Pecha Kucha Night brings to the Edmonton community?

“Pecha Kucha Nights are about connecting ideas with the people of Edmonton. Edmonton is all about making things happen and starting something new. I’ve seen a number of innovative ideas, that were originally presented at one of our events, carried-out with the community’s help. For example, the ‘Light the Bridge’ campaign started from an idea that was discussed during PKN 14.

Pecha Kucha Nights serve as platform to connect great ideas, people, and passions together. An idea presented during one of our events can be so much more than an idea—it can be a movement.”

Tickets for Pecha Kucha Night 22 are still available for a limited time only!

Date: Thursday, June 11, 2015
Time: Doors and bar open at 6:30 p.m. Presentations begin at 7:30 p.m.
Location: Louise McKinney Park, 9999 Grierson Hill Rd NW, Edmonton, AB T5H 2A4
Cost: $17 or $15 with student ID + taxes.
Buy Tickets: Purchase your digital tickets here.

What makes Edmonton a great #nextgencity? Do you have a dream to make Edmonton an even better place for young people to call home?

Throughout NextGen Month (a.k.a. June), we’re reaching out to Edmonton’s young, and young-at-heart, to help us develop a new vision for Edmonton as a #nextgencity.

Through social media, events, and outreach, we’re asking questions that we hope will teach us where we should focus our efforts in the future as the hub that connects people, places, community and ideas relevant to Edmonton’s next generation.

Over the next four weeks, join us on Twitter for a chance win some killer prizes.

What is the #nextgencity social media contest? 

Each week, we’ll post a new question to Twitter and want to hear what you have to say! Answer our question using the hashtag #nextgencity, and you’ll be entered in to that week’s prize.

Week 1: Monday, June 1, 9:00 a.m. until Sunday, June 7, 11:59 p.m.
Week 2: Monday, June 8, 9:00 a.m. until Sunday, June 15, 11:59 p.m.
Week 3: Monday, June 16, 9:00 a.m. until Sunday, June 21, 11:59 p.m.
Week 4: Monday, June 22, 9:00 a.m. until Tuesday, June 30 11:59 p.m.

What are the prizes?

We’re sorting out a few final details, but we do know that each prize will be valued at $100 and will involve events happening around the city. Stay tuned for our full list of prizes as we finalize them.

Week 1: 2 tickets to Pecha Kucha Night 22 + 2 tickets to Improvaganza + $25 worth of Taste of Edmonton tickets

What are the contest rules?

Just like with any contest, we have a couple of rules:

• Make sure to use the hashtag #nextgencity, because only those will be thrown into the draw.
• We encourage you to use the hashtag as often as you’d like, but every week, all of your tweets will be counted as one entry into the draw.
• Maximum one prize package per person.
• We’ll be making the random draw every Monday from the previous week’s tweet to determine the winner.
• Winners will be notified via Twitter and must respond within 24 hours in order to receive their prize. If we don’t hear from the winner within 24 hours, we will re-draw.

Questions?

If you have any questions, get in touch with us on Twitter (@EdmNextGen) or email nextgen@edmonton.ca.

Date: Thursday, June 11, 2015

Time: Doors and bar open at 6:30 p.m. Presentations begin at 7:30 p.m.

Location: Louise McKinney Park, 9999 Grierson Hill Rd NW, Edmonton, AB T5H 2A4

Cost: $17 or $15 with student ID + taxes.

Buy Tickets: Purchase your digital tickets online here

PKN 22 features presentations on local ideas, projects and musings in the 20 slides at 20 seconds per slide format made popular by worldwide by Klein Dytham Architecture. More than 200 presentations have been given at Edmonton PKNs to date on wide-ranging topics, from donairs to lighting up Edmonton’s bridges and everything in between. The presenter line-up will be announced soon!

Thanks to Stantec, our awesome sole presenting sponsor, for their ongoing support of our Pecha Kucha nights – we couldn’t do it without them!

Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria also returns for PKN 22 with gift cards for all ticket holders.

Be part of the conversation on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #yegpkn.

PKN 22’s sponsors are the Stantec, the City of Edmonton, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, Graphos, and Klein Dytham.

What is Pecha Kucha?
Drawing its name from the Japanese phrase for “the sound of chit chat”, Pecha Kucha Night was devised by Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture in February 2003 as a venue for young designers to meet, network, exchange ideas and discuss their work in public. It rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds, for a total presentation length of six minutes and 40 seconds. Why this format you ask? It keeps presentations concise, fast-paced and entertaining.

For more information, visit pechakucha.org

About Edmonton’s NextGen
Formed in 2006, Edmonton’s NextGen is an initiative of the City of Edmonton that is focused on creating a city that attracts and gives a voice to the next generation in the life and growth of Edmonton’s communities. NextGen is a hub for connecting people, places, community and ideas. Through events, leadership opportunities and professional development, NextGen fosters young leaders and supports initiatives of interest to the next generation.