Podcast Club: Public Space

Like a book club, but for podcasts!

Every month we listen to a curated list of podcast episodes (see list below) on a particular topic or theme and then we meet to discuss them. It’s the perfect discussion for time-starved folks. No long books to read! Listen to the podcasts while you commute, do chores or go for a walk. Listening to podcasts is such a great way to learn something new and then further reinforce that knowledge by discussing with others.

To register: email Heather at hgoldik@nelson.ca

In October we’re looking at Public Spaces from libraries to parks to digital spaces and more. The design of the world around us can play a role in who we interact with and what those interactions look like. We’ll look at how thoughtful inclusive design can build connections and community and even increase happiness.

TED Radio Hour
The Public Commons (52 minutes)

How can we create public places that feel welcoming and safe for everyone? This hour, TED speakers examine our physical and digital spaces—how they run, who they serve, and how to make them better.

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/22/1019337884/the-public-commons

CBC Radio: Tapestry
Charles Montgomery  (25 minutes)

Charles Montgomery travelled the globe, and when he returned home he knew one thing: that the design of a city can help us believe that every human being is sacred. Montgomery is the author of Happy Cities: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design.

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2653453783

City Space
Who are our public spaces failing? (28 minutes)

Public spaces are often the best parts of a city. But during the pandemic, many of us started to realize how our public spaces, like parks, weren’t quite working for us. In this episode, we hear from three experts: Adri Stark, project manager at Park People and one of the authors of the 2021 Canadian City Parks Report; Leslie Kern, the author of Feminist City: Claiming Space in a Man-Made World and Anna Zivarts, the director of the Disability Mobility Initiative Program in Washington. In conversation with Adrian, they share how public spaces are failing people in ways we might not often consider, and how we can really make them work for all of us.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-podcast-who-are-our-public-spaces-failing/

99% Invisible
Palaces for the People (44 minutes)

Eric Klinenberg is the author of a book called Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life. The phrase “palaces for the people” actually comes from Andrew Carnegie who was known as a titan of the Gilded Age and one of the wealthiest people in the world when he lived.

https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/palaces-for-the-people/