Comments on: Global City Forum http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2009/04/06/global-city-forum/ The source on how we live, work and play Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:10:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Laura Sampson http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/2009/04/06/global-city-forum/comment-page-1/#comment-11503 Laura Sampson Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:18:25 +0000 http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/creative_class/?p=9890#comment-11503 I consider the greatest challenge of sustainability within my city to be a problem of infrastructure. Toronto is continually pushing outward, and growing from within, but the necessary public infrastructure has just not kept pace. In terms of tranpsortation, the roads are crumbling after years of maintenance deferrals, and the public transit system has not seen major expansion for over a decade. Much of this problem stems from a lack of municipal funds, and the disconnect that individuals have between how much their public services actually cost. To move past this challenge, cities need to be smarter about growth. They need to tie together public and private space - requiring large office tower development plans to include considerations of parks, transportation links and public access. We also have to attach subsidies to the right items, perhaps increasing road tolls but decreasing public transportation fees. The status quo doesn't work anymore, and the most properous cities will be those that are innovative and open to change in both the short and long term. I consider the greatest challenge of sustainability within my city to be a problem of infrastructure. Toronto is continually pushing outward, and growing from within, but the necessary public infrastructure has just not kept pace. In terms of tranpsortation, the roads are crumbling after years of maintenance deferrals, and the public transit system has not seen major expansion for over a decade. Much of this problem stems from a lack of municipal funds, and the disconnect that individuals have between how much their public services actually cost.

To move past this challenge, cities need to be smarter about growth. They need to tie together public and private space – requiring large office tower development plans to include considerations of parks, transportation links and public access. We also have to attach subsidies to the right items, perhaps increasing road tolls but decreasing public transportation fees. The status quo doesn’t work anymore, and the most properous cities will be those that are innovative and open to change in both the short and long term.

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