Citizens for a Livable Cranbrook Society provides grassroots leadership and an inclusive process, with a voice for all community members, to ensure that our community grows and develops in a way that incorporates an environmental ethic, offers a range of housing and transportation choices, encourages a vibrant and cultural life and supports sustainable, meaningful employment and business opportunities.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

The Future of Municipal Infrastructures


Financial Post A New Approach to Infrastructure Denise Deveau  Apr 10, 2012 – 8:24 AM ET
 ISSUE: Canadian cities need to replace their aging infrastructure to accommodate new weather patterns, shifting demographics and social trends. Collaborative planning that transcends municipal departments and develops a holistic approach to emerging challenges is putting a new spin on infrastructure development


A few excerpts from the article which can be read in its entirety at:

The Baby Boom did more than create an aging and overabundant population. It generated the birth of often hastily established municipal infrastructure that has long been showing its age.
Today’s infrastructure is no longer up to the task of handling population growth, urban intensification and climate change. For the most part, experts say, it is outdated, overburdened and too “heavy” for the 21st century world.
“If we re-imagine the way people work, we can reduce the amount of highways and bridges that need to be built,” Mr. Ferrara says. “Or, what if we designated a bus-only lane on the 401 [in Toronto]? That could take cars off the road and mean we wouldn’t have to spend $2-billion per subway stop. Technologies like permeable paving allow water to percolate through and go to the earth naturally so you don’t need huge sewer systems.”
Whatever the issue, city planners need to begin examining infrastructure development from a more holistic perspective rather than engineering their way out of each challenge as it emerges.
“That means breaking down silos between departments,” says Ms. Ligeti. “Right now we’re missing the cross-sectoral dialogue. Roads, for example, shouldn’t be doing things without talking to Public Health.”
While there is a number of technologies under development to support more sustainable infrastructure, Mr. Toope notes that it’s in the hands of “a whole cadre of young people who don’t have a lot of power when dealing with those who have a vested interest in doing it the old way.”
Perhaps Ms. Ligeti says it best: “We need a roll-up-your-sleeve attitude to bring innovation to solving infrastructure problems.”

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