World Town Planning Day
Celebrating World Town Planning Day November 8th
The Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) supports World Town Planning Day as an opportunity to promote better understanding and awareness of Canadian Planners and planning to the local community and all levels of government. CIP recognizes Canadian planning accomplishments both at home and overseas.
To celebrate this international event held annually on November 8th, the Canadian Institute of Planners and its Affiliates distribute posters to members across the country and to organizations around the world.
World Town Planning Day is currently celebrated in some manner in about 30 countries on four continents.
Every year, the Canadian Institute of Planners and all of its provincial Affiliates work together and create a poster to promote this annual celebration of the profession. As part of our continuing efforts to make greener choices, we will not be printing posters and distributing them by mail. Instead, e-Posters are now available for download from the CIP website. Get yours today, and spread the word about WTPD!
World Town Planning Day Goes Digital
For the third year in a row, the collaboration of eight planning organizations from around the world – including the Canadian Institute of Planners – continues to support a joint “virtual” conference for planners from around the globe in honour of World Town Planning Day. The conference takes place on November 1 - 2, 2011 and is completely online, as a part of our effort to reduce the carbon footprint caused by presenter/participant travel.
This year’s conference brings together leading practitioners and experts on the topic “Going Public: Spaces in our Communities”. Historically, the public plaza was to be a place where people could meet, hear from their leaders, share ideas, and trade. The basic premise is still the same; however, we are placing more and more pressure on these types of public spaces by increasing the intensity of these uses. In addition, public spaces are also being used as economic development tools to bring about positive change to areas beyond the boundaries of these spaces and revitalize urban areas in which population and economic activity have declined.
The purpose of this conference is to hear ideas from around the world on how we are planning for and designing our public spaces to be even more public, and use these spaces in place of private ones in a way that fosters a sense of community. The issues differ with various scales of public space and the conference will be focused on the following themes:
- Management of Public Space
- Community Pride Makes Better Places
- Little Things Make a Big Difference
- Public Spaces are Good for Your Soul
- Making Our Public Spaces Safe
- Reclaiming Space from Cars
- Access For All
More information about this year’s conference is available at the conference web site, PlanningTheWorld.net. CIP Members who attend this conference may claim additional Learning Units.
How Communities Celebrate World Town Planning Day
Many Canadian planners and municipalities hold events on November 8th to educate and promote the value of planning in our communities.
What can you do to support World Town Planning Day?
- Link local activities with World Town Planning Day on and around November 8th. If you are holding an event, please post it on our Calendar of Events! There is no charge to post these events.
- Distribute World Town Planning Day messages to Town councils and government bodies i.e. proclamation with cover letter.
- Provide a link from your web site to this World Town Planning Day page!
- Distribute World Town Planning Day information to the public and the media through a news release.
Thank you to all who have supported World Town Planning Day in past years, and to those communities who have shared their celebration activities with us.
If your organization held an event that you would like to share, click here for an event report form from CIP.
What is World Town Planning Day?
The 20th century transformed Canada from a rural to an urban industrial society. The impact of this change on our community spaces provided great challenges for Canadian planners. Planners integrate the goals of sustainable development, good governance and economic viability to ameliorate the human environment. Their contributions to Canadian society have helped make our country a highly enjoyable place in which to live.
World Town Planning Day focuses on the progress of community planning in Canada. It highlights the valuable contributions that sound planning has made to the quality of the human environment and provides recognition of the ideals of community planning among the profession and the general public worldwide.
History
The international organization for World Town Planning Day was founded in 1949 by the late Professor Carlos Maria della Paolera of the University of Buenos Aires to advance public and professional interest in planning, both locally and overseas. WTPD is promoted each year by the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISoCaRP) headquartered at The Hague, The Netherlands. http://www.isocarp.org/
Other World Town Planning Day Web Sites
If you have comments or questions about World Town Planning Day, or require more information please contact CIP at: communications@cip-icu.ca