Embracing Winter: How Edmonton Shifted Its Culture Webinar

Wednesday, December 2 – 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

It’s not latitude, it’s attitude! Find out how Edmonton shifted its culture and is embracing the snowy season. Learn how we’ve changed the mental models that underpin all our systems, how we’ve changed the stories that people tell themselves and each other about what winter is like in Edmonton, and how we know we’ve made a difference. How has our 10-year Winter City Strategy encouraged residents to get out and get active in the snow? Delve into key elements of Edmonton’s wintry success: park design, maintenance, programming for all ages, promotion of winter activities, and creating social license. Consider how existing barriers in your city might be obstructing vibrant winter life. Explore ideas and strategies for identifying outdoor winter activities already happening in your community and how to promote them. And what does this all mean for a COVID winter? It might still be cold and dark during winter, but doesn’t have to be boring!

Speaker

Isla Tanaka is the Winter City Planner for the City of Edmonton. She holds a Master of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies degree, where she explored outdoor recreation spaces in winter cities. She has presented on winter life and design in North America, Asia and Europe, and helped plan two international winter cities conferences. Isla sits on the international board of the Winter Cycling Federation. She has raised two children in northern Canadian communities, cycles year-round, and loves cross-country skiing.