AKRON—June 8, 2016— “Inspiring a More Livable Akron: Moving from Talking to Doing,” is a free public event focusing on ways to make Akron more livable and create places that allow people to walk, bike, access transit and enjoy parks and other public spaces, will be held on June 9th from 6-8pm at the Akron Civic Theatre, doors open at 5:30pm. The event will feature a keynote presentation by international community development expert Gil Penalosa, founder and chair of 8 80 Cities, a non-profit dedicated to transforming cities.
8-80 Cities’ approach is to engage communities at all levels and across multiple sectors to inspire the creation of cities that are easily accessible, healthy, safe and enjoyable for all. The name ‘8 80 Cities’ refers to Penalosa’s concept that cities that work for people both 8 and 80 years of age will work well for everyone.
Supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, 8 80 Cities participated in a week of events bringing together community leaders, civic innovators, urban experts and others for lectures, panel discussions, workshops, strategizing and more. The events have provided opportunities for Akronites to learn about urban planning and contribute their ideas about how Akron can become a more livable city.
“Akron is a city of doers—people who are ready and willing to roll up their sleeves and take action.” Penalosa says “If this quality could be harnessed towards making the city more walkable and bikeable, it could be transformed into one of the most vibrant cities in the mid-west.”
The free public presentation at the Akron Civic Theatre on June 9th, from 6-8pm, will be followed by a free ‘Pop-Up Coffee Shop’ at the same location on June 10th from 8am-1pm. Residents of Akron are invited to participate in both events and share their thoughts and feedback about the future of their city.
The event is part of Knight Foundation’s current support of 8 80 Cities to help civic innovators make their communities more vibrant and livable through conferences, city learning tours, fellowships and residencies for leaders from communities where Knight invests. Knight has also supported a conference and international study tours to Copenhagen, Denmark for civic innovators from several U.S. cities, including Akron. Knight has captured key lessons from the conference and tour in an interactive guide to livable cities.
“The event aims to bring people from all backgrounds together to build a more successful Akron,” Kyle Kutuchief, Knight Foundation program director for Akron. “Through collaborative problem solving and idea building, we can create incentives for people to live and stay in the city and foster more connections between residents.”
For full event listings, please visit: http://880cities.org/images/pdf/inspiring-akron-poster.pdf
For more information on 8 80 Cities visit 880cities.org
About 8 80 Cities
8 80 Cities is a nonprofit organization based in Toronto, Canada. We are dedicated to contributing to the transformation of cities into places where people can walk, bike, access public transit and visit vibrant parks and public places. Our approach is to engage people and communities across multiple sectors to inspire the creation of cities that are easily accessible, safe and enjoyable for all. We achieve our mission through grant projects, advocacy work and our innovative services.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. We believe that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. knightfoundation.org
Contacts:
Emily Munroe, Executive Director, 8 80 Cities, 416-591-7404 or [email protected]
Anusha Alikhan, Director of Communications, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, 305-908-2646, [email protected]