makeCalgary: Healthy – Shaping our Cities, Shaping Ourselves

Many factors contribute to our health and to the health of our communities. Although lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise play a large part in this, our built environments – the buildings, parks, schools, road systems, and other infrastructure that define our communities – also play a vital role in what keeps us healthy, and what could potentially make us sick. The University of Calgary is partnering with the City of Calgary to bring a day dedicated to exploring the relationship between urban design and the health of our communities — establishing strategies to sustain and improve human and environmental well-being to make Calgary healthier and more productive. Truly healthy places are those designed and built to “improve the quality of life for all people who live, work, learn, and play within their borders — where every person is free to make choices amid a variety of healthy, available, accessible, and affordable options” (World Health Organization). This event will provide opportunities for individuals across the spectrum of public health, urban planning, architecture, academia, and government, to come together and find new ways to design a better future for Calgary. This event is brought to you by the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Environmental Design and the Institute for Public Health, the Urban Alliance, the City of Calgary, and Alberta Health Services.

Location:

University of Calgary Downtown Campus

Speaker:

KEYNOTE SPEAKERSDavid Owen – American journalist and author (“The Conundrum: How Scientific Innovation, Increased Efficiency, and Good Intentions Can Make Our Energy and Climate Problems Worse,” and “Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less Are the Keys to Sustainability.”)Dr. Rishi Manchanda, MD MPH – Founder and Chair, RxDemocracy, in Las Angeles, California (Dr. Manchanda is also author of “The Upstream Doctors”). Dr. Louise Potvin – Professor in Social and Preventative Medicine, University of Montreal. Joyce Drohan, Architect, AIBC, LEED, AP – Director of Urban Design, Perkins+Will, Vancouver.

More information at http://www.ucalgary.ca/events/calendar/makecalgary-healthy-shaping-our-cities-shaping-ourselves