Community members participating in Jane's Walk on the U of M Fort Garry Campus // Photo by Ian Hall
Walkabout: Inviting the community to explore
WHAT: The U of M’s Office of Sustainability organized a walking tour and discussion, free and open to everyone, to showcase plans from the first phase of the Visionary (re) Generation Design Competition and other green projects happening on campus.
HOW IT STARTED: The tour—called Jane’s Walk—was held May 2, 2015, and was part of an international movement created by the late Jane Jacobs, a Toronto author and urban planner. Jacobs envisioned communities coming together through free, walking conversations in their neighbourhoods, led by people who call it home. The U of M’s Office of Sustainability figured a ‘Jane’s Walk’ would be a good fit to share ideas from the Visionary (re)Generation Design Competition. This open international design competition invited some of the world’s most accomplished urban thinkers to re-imagine the Fort Garry campus and the adjacent Southwood Lands.
THE GOAL: To share information and stories, and provide an opportunity for dialogue about green features at the university today, as well as ideas being proposed as part of the Visionary (re)Generation campus master planning process.
HOW IT WORKED: Participants toured the mixed-use design for the campus with its integrated public spaces and public transportation access. The walk leaders also discussed current sustainability programs on campus involving energy conservation, food production and green buildings.
WHY IT’S IMPORANT: “The idea [behind the walk] is to create a sense of place within the community and instigate conversations and ideas among citizens who have a desire to invest in the future of their neighborhood or the city as a whole,” says Ian Hall, director of the Office of Sustainability.
NEXT STEPS: “The success of the first University of Manitoba-led Jane’s Walk has us looking forward to engaging the community further in the coming years, and proudly showing—through dynamic discussions and walks—how the campus evolves each year,” Hall says.
SUPPORTERS: Jane’s Walk Winnipeg
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