Smart Cities Are Making Us Dumber

“I don’t have a problem with the term ‘smart city’ per se. Embracing evidence-based, data-driven decision-making and using technology to capture that data is a laudable goal. My problem with the idea is that it’s often presented as a panacea. There is an underlying assumption that technology is the key to unlocking the smart solutions our cities most desperately need. To believe this is to completely miss the plot.” Amanda O’Rourke, Executive Director of 8 80 Cities, tells it how it is.

Paint the Pavement

Have you heard of Paint the Pavement? It’s an initiative where schools paint murals on the roads outside their entrances to make drivers more are of their proximity to a school zone. Find out, through Stephanie Tobin’s article, how the initiative is going down in the Town of Paradise. 

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World Parks Academy Webinar: Children Play and Nature Policy to Practice

Join our Executive Director, Amanda O'Rourke on this great opportunity to learn more about World Urban Parks' statement on children play and nature. The webinar, organized by World Parks Academy,  will introduce and launch the new Children Play and Nature Policy and showcase innovative practices from Australia, Ghana and the U.S. Three members of World Urban Parks Standing Committee will inspire participants through the sharing of their projects.

Speakers: Mark Camley, Amanda O'Rourke, Amowi Phillips, Cheryl Charles, Cathy Kiss

Date: October 10, 2018 Time: 4:00pm EST
Register (CEUs available) here.
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Cycle Together, Stay Together

Hear about that older couple (aged 86 and 91) who have been riding tandem for over 60 years? Don’t believe us? Read this article to find out how their cycling habits have kept their health and marriage strong.

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Parks and Public Spaces for People of All Ages

Parks are important places for our communities, but the way they’re designed, maintained and programmed doesn’t always reflect their purpose. We’re excited to announce our partnership with AARP Livable Communities and The Trust for Public Land to publish a free guide to help community leaders create and improve parks and public spaces for people of all ages and abilities.  

With the publication of Creating Parks and Public Places for People of All Ages: A Step-by-Step Guide, AARP Livable Communities, 8 80 Cities and The Trust for Public Land have come together to highlight the importance of parks — and give community leaders (and park advocates from all corners) tools they can use to both create and improve green spaces and public places for people of all ages.

You can download a digital copy or order a paperback edition of the guide for free on AARP’s website.

We will be hosting a webinar on the guide in October so stay tuned for more details!

Breakwater Park Kingston is Open

Breakwater Park is located in a beautiful setting: right on the water in the lovely city of Kingston. And while it should be the centerpiece of the Kingston waterfront, it hasn’t been living up to it’s potential. Through the Make Places for People Project (supported by 8 80 Cities and other organizations) the park has undergone a transformation and has recently celebrated it’s grand re-opening. Jannat Nain, intern at 8 80 Cities, walks us through the magical makeover.

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