George Ferguson, CBE, PPRIBA, RWA, a British politician, former architect and entrepreneur, who served as the first elected Mayor of Bristol (2012 to 2016) will give a keynote speech titled Enabling the Urban Village at the upcoming 55th International Making Cities Livable Conference on Healthy, 10-Minute Neighborhoods in Ottawa, May 14-18.
As Ottawa plans extensive growth of new neighborhoods along the new Light Rail Transit and Canadian cities experience unprecedented growth this conference looks for the best models of healthy, walkable neighborhoods from around the world, and brings together outstanding leaders who have enacted such change.
Ferguson is a mover and shaker, founding director of The Academy of Urbanism, a founding member of the British sustainable transport charity Sustrans, and former president of the Royal Institute of British architects. In 2014 the IMCL Lewis Mumford Award was presented to Mayor Ferguson and Bristol City Council for their leadership in creating a Healthy Bristol for All. He is, as he says, “on a life long search of that magic mix of seeds that can enable and sustain a healthy, liveable, walkable and vibrant mixed use community.”
Ferguson has exerted a major influence on Bristol, reviving dying neighborhoods, restoring historic buildings, making streets and squares more hospitable for pedestrians and bicyclists, generating a greener and more hospitable city for all, and he has inspired similar efforts across the UK. He will discuss how his efforts may inform Ottawa’s efforts to create healthy neighborhoods around the new Light Rail stations, and Canadian cities’ drive to achieve Healthy, 10-Minute Neighborhoods.
Mayor Ferguson and the Bristol City Council won the 2014 IMCL Lewis Mumford Award for creating a Healthy Bristol for All.