Visioning San Diego Lunch Forum

September 25, 2012 By

Martin Luther King, Jr. Promenade, looking WestTomorrow, Wednesday, September 26th, during lunch hour, there will be a panel discussion on the Downtown Public Open Space Implementation Plan. The panel will be moderated by Laura Burnett (FASLA, Burnett Land and Water) and Martin Poirier (FASLA, Spurlock Poirier Landscape Architects).

Lunch is included for $5 in advance or $7 at the door, at NewSchool of Architecture and Design (1249 F St. San Diego). RSVP at walksandiego.org.

From the event page:

Urban parks are more important than ever for helping build a sense of community and enhancing our quality of life. The Downtown Public Open Space Implementation Plan is being prepared by Civic San Diego (formerly CCDC). The process has benefited from the input of many stakeholder meetings to include a vision for health, the community, the economy, and the environment. An important component of the Plan—first of its kind anywhere—is the network of Promenades. This will be 16 acres of new parkland developed on City–owned property within the existing public right-of-way of six of our downtown streets.  The Plan will add more than 4 miles of interconnected trails that link the downtown neighborhoods, inviting residents, workers, and visitors to stroll, picnic, exercise and play, enjoy gardens, tot-lots and dog parks. With the removal of pavement it will also serve to collect, cleanse, and reuse storm water.

What is the nature of the support for the Plan? Can the Plan be implemented? How will it be carried out? What is the framework for governance and management after implementation? Who is served by this investment? These are some of the questions our panelists will explore during this one-hour forum. If you live, work or play downtown, you won’t want to miss this presentation.

Filed Under: Events, News, Planning, San Diego
Avatar of Dianne Yee About Dianne Yee

Dianne is an Urban Studies & Planning student at UC San Diego. She grew up in Berkeley where she could easily skateboard, walk, or take public transportation to get around. Transplanted in San Diego, she resists the "need" for a car. Her hope is to transform Southern California into a sustainable, more people-friendly place.

In her third year of studies, Dianne spent a semester in Berlin. She took the U- and S-Bahn, the city's extensive public transit system, every day. She has travelled to several other European cities as well, including Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Helsinki. As she explored these cities, she grew more interested in urban planning and the future of cities.

She is especially interested in transportation, infill development, and more broadly: smart growth. Dianne now lives in Hillcrest and rides her bike around town. Her citymaus blog is updated regularly with urban planning-related issues in San Diego, the Bay Area, and all around the world.