Okay, I admit it. I am a bit of a geek when it comes to cities. I have a tendency to dissect the public realm, and dream of how it could be better. I go on walking tours for fun and I once biked into a parked car because I was distracted by some stencil art in an alley.
When I travel, I try out cities to see how they work. Which means taking public transit, shopping where the locals do, finding the coffee shops and third spaces that make each place unique, and taking lots of photos of street infrastructure. I have more photos of tree pits and light standards than I do of my family – which is a bit of a problem.
I don’t have a car, celebrate pedestrian oriented, complete communities, viable downtowns, local stores, and the valuable public spaces that brings people together. I come from a green building background, have worked for a non-profit that fights sprawl, and I advocate for public space in my spare time.
This blog is a chance to document meditations on the urban context. To post articles I like, promote groups who are doing awesome work, and share my love of the commons.
Professionally, I design meaningful public consultation processes to support sustainable community visioning. If you’re looking for someone to help on that front, I am looking for work.
Thanks for stopping by.
Cheers,
Amanda Mitchell BSc(Env), MASA, LEED AP
amanda AT iheartcities DOT ca
