Hundreds gather to hear about ‘Cities on the Edge’

May 14, 2007

North Shore City will next month play host to hundreds of people with an interest in the design, development and maintenance of cities and town centres.

It will be the first time the International Cities, Town Centres and Communities Society Conference (ICTC) – titled Cities on the Edge - has been held in New Zealand.

More than 400 delegates and close to 75 international speakers are expected to attend the conference at the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna from June 26 to 29.

North Shore City Council’s environmental policy and planning manager, Trevor Mackie, says the conference will provide some great opportunities.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for delegates, including politicians, to learn about town centres, urban design innovation, and to gain direction and ideas for their cities from experienced professionals of many disciplines,” he says.

“As well as the speakers, the conference is supported by a trade exhibition highlighting the latest products from key suppliers and field trips to projects in North Shore City and the wider Auckland region.”

Delegates include councillors, community board members, planners, developers, architects, business association executives, engineers, urban designers and resource, transport, sustainability and economic development managers.

Highlights of this conference include keynote speakers David Feehan, President of the International Downtown Association, and Ethan Kent, Project for Public Spaces, both from New York.

David Feehan had devoted his 35-year career to rebuilding and revitalising cities. He has directed downtown programmes in Des Moines, Detroit and Kalamazoo, as well as neighbourhood programmes in Pittsburgh and Minneapolis.

His topical session focuses on the competition and collaboration between downtowns, or mainstreets, and shopping centres.

Ethan Kent, a place making specialist, has worked on projects as diverse as the Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland, Oregon, to downtown Santiago in Chile.

His session looks at how to inject vitality and community energy into public spaces and waterfronts.

Field trips in North Shore City this year include visits to Devonport, Smales Farm Technology Office Park, Albany centre, the Northern Busway, Browns Bay and the Massey University E-Centre.

“Having this conference on our doorstop provides other major benefits for tourism and the economy, but most of all it’s a great way to share innovations and learn how other international cities are tackling urban design, planning and management issues,” says Mr Mackie.

There is still time to register for the conference, at www.ictcsociety.org, or to find out more please visit www.northshorecity.govt.nz.

ENDS

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