The City of Toronto's City Planning division has announced yet another initiative aimed at engaging the public in the planning process.
More far-reaching and multifaceted than existing initiatives, Growing Conversations encompasses four distinct projects. The yet-to-be-completed Growing Conversations Action Plan will layout a new youth engagement strategy, an ethnic media strategy, a plan to develop and build relationships with key city stakeholders ("in order to broaden the City's engagement reach"), and a plan for a new "open data framework to establish clear guidelines for the release of City Planning's data."
The vision of the new program, as described by chief planner Jennifer Keesmaat in a recent press release, is "to make Toronto the most engaged city in North America."
While the details of how these four projects will be pursued have yet to be ironed-out, the City anticipates that a concrete action plan will be complete within the year.
"Engaging our residents in conversations about city building builds a stronger city," said Councillor Peter Milczyn (Ward 5 Etobicoke Lakeshore), Chair of the Planning and Growth Management Committee of the recent Growing Conversations announcment.
"We've seen some really successful examples of that happening here in Toronto, and certainly there are lessons to be learned from elsewhere. What Growing Conversations will do is help us to apply those best practices to all of our engagement efforts, which will ultimately lead to better planning outcomes."
Growing Conversations officially launches on Tuesday, June 24 at the Northern District Library. Members of the public are invited to attend from 6:30 to 9 p.m. to hear about the program and ask questions of city officials.
Writer: Katia Snukal