Make connections and taking care of others at the Hampton Inn. When checking in recently at a hotel, the staff mentioned they host an evening reception so guests can meet and talk. The information book in my room also had a page on “Care.” It menti...

In your community work what are you measuring? This is another sign from the Tactical Urbanism project in Asheville, NC. This project is designed to make quick low cost changes and to see the impact. They’re paying attention to numbers of people in the n...

While in Asheville I learned about tactical urbanism. A group of volunteers had made changes at a busy intersection to slow down traffic and create more a welcoming area. One of this days projects was touching up the road painting in the background. Tactical u...

In a park in Vancouver there are the usual climbing things and swings and there’s also close to 20 toys lined up along a path. You will find riding toys of all sorts from big wheels to monster trucks to fire engines. There are also plastic kitchens, slid...

It was a fun way to start a Friday. 80 people joined the Near and Dear event starting at the Brantford Public Library and heading out to explore the downtown core. The day is all about learning about each other, sharing stories about our community, and having ...

That’s What It’s All About I have been thinking recently about how space can be created or modified to create an opportunity for people to slow down and connect. These Hokey Pokey dance steps create that in Chattanooga, TN. It creates an opportunit...

I had just arrived in Chattanooga and it was a sunny warm beautiful Easter Sunday. After dropping my bags at the hotel, I walked to the park on the river front. There was a couple sitting on a bench in the park and the guy was holding a baseball. I asked if he...

Steamy hot pizza is on display in the front window of Golden Boy Pizza. My mouth waters looking at the varieties of delicious pizza that are available, but I also see the line of 10 – 15 people waiting to get in the door. The pizza at this North Beach fi...

In the Southwest neighbourhood of Philadelphia, the Southwest CDC publishes the Globe Times. This local paper has been “bringing good news to the people” since 1945. One of the features is highlighting and sharing stories of one of the many neighbourhood b...

With multiple flight cancellations, I had time to study the contents of this unusual vending machine. This is a SouveNear machine at the Cincinnati Airport. A wide variety of items from colouring books to earrings to T-shirts all made by local artists are for ...