Event: Debate on Smart Growth

Langley City, Google Maps

Hey all,

There’s a great event coming up in the ‘burbs about, well, the future of the ‘burbs. In my opinion, conversations like these don’t happen very often and they’re extremely important in guiding the future of our neighbourhood, city, and our region.

Here’s the press release:

South Fraser OnTrax (SFOT) is a non-profit BC Society that has a passion for making great communities even better with the introduction of sustainable transportation options and community design that is made available to all. Visit southfraser.net for more information 

NEWS RELEASE 

For Immediate Release 

February 1st, 2011 

Debate on Smart Growth comes to Langley 

LANGLEY, With the Metro Vancouver region set to grow by another 1 million people over the next 20 years and with most of that growth set to occur in the South of Fraser, there has been a call by many academics and urban planners to change the way we build our communities. South Fraser OnTrax advocates for smart growth design principles such as making transit a priority and building neighbourhoods that provide a variety of housing options, from single-family homes to apartments. OnTrax believes these principles will protect the environment, human health, and our agricultural land, but not everyone shares this belief. 

Todd Litman of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, whose research has been used by governments worldwide, will be debating Randal O’Toole who is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute and who has also taught environmental economics at Yale, UC Berkeley, and Utah State University on the future of land-use and transportation planning in the South of Fraser. Litman is a strong proponent of smart growth principals and high-quality public transit while O’Toole has been an outspoken critic. 

“For many years we have talked about building more sustainable community and better transit,” says Nathan Pachal of OnTrax, “but many in our communities are not sold on the ideas that this is the way to go. This debate will allow both perspectives to be expressed and let people decide what future they want for our region.” 

OnTrax with the support of a City of Langley grant will be hosting this debate on Thursday, February 23rd from 7:00pm to 8:30pm at the Township of Langley Municipal Hall (20338 65 Avenue.) This free event is open to all members of the public, who will have the chance to hear both sides of the debate and have the opportunity to question Litman and O’Toole. 

Seating is limited and reservations are recommended. Please visit southfraser.net or on Facebook for more information and email southfraserblog@yahoo.com to reserve your seat. 

-30- 

Media Contact: 

Joe Zaccaria 

South Fraser OnTrax 

Phone: 1-866-459-0665 

Email: joezac@sfot.info 

————————————————————————

I will make the ‘trek’ to Langley via transit – if anyone would like to join me, leave a comment or message me elsewhere and we can be bus buddies.