EcoDensity, what is it? Mayor Sam Sullivan's application for trademarking the name has been accepted by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. EcoDensity almost seems like an oxy-moron, let me tell you why.
EcoDensity is the premise around increasing the density of urban areas. More tall towers, adding Carriage Homes to properties, and a myriad of schemes to cram more people into smaller spaces. Good idea when we see the effect of urban sprawl, commuter's smog and transit pains. Not such a good idea when our infrastructure barely supports the density we have now.
One of the more controversial events in the news has been the provincial announcement of a Capital Spending Plan for the Greater Vancouver Transit. Vancouver's decisions to retain a small-town culture and feel for the city back in the seventies greatly impacted the decisions for development and planning of a growing city. Hindsight. Here we sit with difficult choices, and sensitive concerns.
EcoDensity is a great idea and one that is long overdue. Proper planning for a real EcoDensity project ought to encompass all aspects of creating many community hubs from which the EcoDensity spoke can centralize around. EcoDensity is not an idea to be focused solely upon real estate and real estate development, it must also be focused on transit, and encouraging business to occupy commercial spaces within EcoDensity hubs.
EcoDensity, in other words, must not simply solve an environmental issue, it must also solve social issues as well. Failure to do so, as we have plenty of evidence to already see, leads to further decline of a projects overall aim and goal the longer it is implemented without the proper infrastructures to support all aspects of living and working together in an urban environment.
With all the emphasis on going green, increasing density for maximum occupation had better start increasing green-spaces --- not paved over with a few trees planted --- for the general public to enjoy. Commercial and residential developments have access to many new green initiatives to further incorporate landscaping into the physical structures of architectural developments. I'm okay with EcoDensity, and environmentalism, as long as we don't forget the needs of people.
Learn more at the City of Vancouver's EcoDensity site.
Find out about TransLink Planning Consultation. We'll see how it survives.
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Sunday, January 20, 2008
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2 comments:
Your post title is misleading and incorrect. In fact, the Mayor has NOT patented the term EcoDensity for himself but the City of Vancouver. Read Mike Howell's story and it states:
"we are pleased to report that the City of Vancouver is now the owner of the [EcoDensity] mark."
Just thought I'd point this important detail out.
I understand the importance of the distinction and appreciate you calling attention to it. In fact, this article was inspired following a read of an online article on a news site; they report the news in the same way. You can find the link in the blog post itself.
I think the distinction is to be made by the fact that they address the trademark application as coming from the Mayor, as opposed to simply Sam Sullivan. Good point to made.
Thanks, Lee
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