Next Great City: Philadelphia - Volume III, Issue XX


 

Next Great City

NEWSLETTER
Next Great City: Philadelphia

 

 

FORUM ON BUS SHELTERS AND STREET FURNITURE

  

VOLUME III,
ISSUE XX

 

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 Examples of street furniture

Podcast

Listen to the PennFuture podcast at http://www.pennfuturepodcast.org/

Includes interviews with Urban Sustainability Forum speakers and more!

 

Questions or Comments?

Email Christine at:knapp@pennfuture.org or call 215-545-9692

Don't forget to visit our website at: http://www.nextgreatcity.org/

  

 

Next Great City and the Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities are co-sponsoring a forum on the street furniture program, which includes bus shelters, newspaper boxes, benches, information kiosks and more. The event will take place on October 26 from 5:30 to 7:30 at the Academy of Natural Sciences at 19th St and the Ben Franklin Parkway.

Next Great City called for a new street furniture program as one of our 10 recommendations in order to improve transit stops and make it easier, safer and more pleasant for people to use public transportation. The city will be releasing a request for proposals for a new vendor in the next few months, so this forum is an opportunity to share our thoughts on what this program should include.

This contract will have a dramatic impact on Philadelphia's streetscapes, and can help to provide needed amenities to our communities. Please plan on attending to share your thoughts and opinions.

  

WALKSHED.ORG CALCULATES WALKABILITY

 

Avencia, a local geographic analysis and software development firm, is launching Walkshed Philadelphia, an online application that enables the public to calculate and map the walkability of any Philadelphia neighborhood, based on individual preferences.

Walkshed Philadelphia builds on the work of other "walkshed indexes" that score a location based on the quantity and diversity of amenities within a one-mile radius. In addition, Walkshed.org helps the user determine the actual walking distance to transit stops, grocery stores or other libraries. And Walkshed evaluates the relative ease or difficulty of walking through various paths. 

Studies have shown that making a city more walkable results in lower carbon emissions, healthier citizens, reduced crime rates, and increased home values.  Walkshed can help municipalities and citizens make better decisions regarding land use, zoning, and planning to make communities more livable, healthier, and valuable.

 

KNOW YOUR FARMER, KNOW YOUR FOOD

 

The Redevelopment Authority of Philadelphia (RDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are working together to promote urban production of fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables for local markets, in support of USDA's new "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative. The collaboration is believed to be the first between an urban government and the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and will make it easier for the City to create pilot farming and gardening projects.

Check out the website to learn more about how you can support local farmers while also improving your health and protecting natural resources.

 

LOCAL ACTION CHALLENGE

 

As world leaders prepare to hammer out a new climate treaty at the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen this December, SustainLane's Local Action Challenge is a way for you to make a difference on the ground level.  People around the country are showing their support by taking action locally.  Take the challenge! Make your community more sustainable, and win prizes for doing it.

 

SUPPORTING OUR RIVERS

 

The Coalition for Philadelphia's Riverfronts' launch event was a great success! Thoughtful speeches from Katherine Gajewski, Director of the Mayor's Office of Sustainability, Alan Greenberger, acting Deputy Mayor for Commerce and Planning, Mark Focht, Executive Director of Fairmount Park, and Dr. John Elliott Churchville, CEO of Liberation Fellowship Community Development Corporation, as well as beautiful weather for post-launch kayaking provided a great start for the campaign. 

Continue showing your support for a riverfront greenway while you celebrate Halloween.  Attend the 6th annual Schuylkill Banks Halloween Pet and People Paradin' on the River on Saturday, October 24; or get out and explore the river by land and on the water on the East Coast Greenway Fundraiser Bike Ride and River Tour on Halloween day!

 

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