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Famous urban planner on track to speak for TraC

Mikael Colville-Andersen of Copenhagen will share insights to creating cyclist, pedestrian-friendly spaces
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Mikael Colville-Andersen will give a virtual presentation on active transportation for the Sunshine Coast on March 6.

When Kylie Hutchinson, a TraC board member, first contacted the team of world-renowned urban planner Mikael Colville-Andersen to see if he would give a presentation for the Sunshine Coast, she wasn’t holding her breath for a response. But then, he agreed – and, in a generous gesture, waived his usual fee.

On March 6, the Sunshine Coast will join more than 100 cities who have welcomed the designer, author and speaker Colville-Andersen. While he’s known for his work in global destinations like Copenhagen, this virtual presentation will focus on how to apply his approach to semi-rural areas like ours.

In his decades of work with urban planning, Colville-Andersen has become well known for his approach to designing a livable city and his research on citizen cycling. He also authored the book Copenhagenize – The Definitive Guide to Global Bicycle Urbanism, has a TED talk to his name and hosts the documentary TV series The Life-sized City, which explores what makes a city livable. 

“I think he’s so well-regarded,” Hutchinson said, noting Colville-Andersen’s extensive global travels. She added that while we tend to look inward on the Sunshine Coast for solutions, there are many useful innovations that have proven to work in other locations, some developed by Colville-Andersen himself.

Hutchinson said she was also thrilled to find out that – although this event will be held virtually – Colville-Andersen has already been to the Sunshine Coast, among his many trips to visit his Texada Island-based sister. In fact, Colville-Andersen is Canadian as well as Danish, since he was born in Fort McMurray, Alta. Now, he lends his knowledge and expertise with urban cycling and creating pedestrian-friendly spaces with his fellow Canadians.

TraC (Transportation Choices Sunshine Coast) hopes the event will educate and inspire local government, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and anyone interested in using active transportation as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and connect our coastal communities.

Last year, TraC held a public survey to identify problem areas and how to make people more comfortable using active transportation. Now, they hope this event will build off of those results and share what is possible.

Recently, Hutchinson said she’s noticed local parents and PACs mobilize around active transportation for schools and students, and hopes this event can help provide more information for that effort.

The March 6 event will start at 10 a.m., and will include a 30-minute talk from the special guest, then open up a question and answer session.

TraC invites attendees to prepare their own questions to ask, and all are welcome to attend the virtual event.

Those interested in joining can pre-register with Zoom or see www.transportationchoices.ca for more information.