​CITYSCAPE DESIGN INC.
SMART GROWTH CANADA NETWORK
Overview
The Smart Growth Canada Network was incubated by the Smart Growth BC Charitable Organization. Gloria Venczel, BES, B. Arch., MRAIC, RPP, MCIP was its founding Executive Director, along with Canadian senior smart growth researchers Don Alexander, Ph.D. , RPP, MCIP and Ray Tomalty, Ph.D, MCIP. The intent of the Smart Growth Canada Network was to be a sustainability umbrella organization across Canada as well as create awareness of smart growth success stories. Through funding from smart growth champion Ken Church at Natural Resources Canada and the Real Estate Foundation of BC, a visually enhanced, comprehensive set of e-courses on Canadian success stories were developed. Both organizations are currently in hiatus.
E-Courses
The Smart Growth Canada Network E-Courses were developed by Canadian subject matter experts in sustainability and smart growth principles. The e-courses showcased Canadian success stories in implementing smart growth principles in the built environment. The visually enhanced e-courses were designed to be easy to use, interesting to look at and fun with the crossword puzzles. Gloria Venczel was editor-in-chief, as well as graphic designer for the project.
Process Review for Community Energy Planning
The Association for Better Communities was the precursor to the SGCN with the same core team members. Commissioned by Natural Resources Canada, the mandate of this paper was to outline a process where community members could take ownership and understand the value of community energy planning to gain political acceptance at the municipal level.
Vision for the Future
SGCN Presentation to the Canadian Institute of Planners Conference, Quebec City
Housing Choice
Create a range of affordable, quality housing choices
Vibrant Complete Communities
Foster development that creates vibrant, unique, walkable complete communities where uses like residential and commercial are mixed to create attractive places to live, work and play.
Smart Building Design
Encourage building designs that contribute to the context of a pedestrian-oriented neighbourhood and use green building technologies.
Renew Existing Communities
Direct development away from unsettled areas and encourage growth and renewal in existing communities
Green Infrastructure
Utilize green infrastructure to save money and protect the environment.
Farmland & Green Spaces
Preserve and enhance green spaces, farmland and environmental sensitive areas.
Integrated Regional Planning
Undertake broad-scale planning for cities and towns in adjacent regions and towns in adjacent regions and towns in a way that integrates land use and transportation planning for the entire region.
Transportation Choice
Provide varied transportation options and infrastructure for walking, bicycling, car pooling, car sharing, scooters, public transit and others.
Communities Involvement
Encourage effective community involvement early in the process to find unique solutions that fit with the community`s vision of itself.