Strong Towns Community Action Lab kicks off Feb. 7

Medicine Hat – The City of Medicine Hat is one of four communities, and the only Canadian city, selected from nearly two dozen applicants to participate in the inaugural Strong Towns Community Action Lab (CAL).

Strong Towns is a non-profit organization based in Brainerd, Minnesota. They seek to change the way communities develop, advocating for good city planning in all realms including transportation, residential neighbourhoods, active transportation and city infrastructure – all with a focus on fiscal sustainability and overall community wealth.

The CAL is a two-year project designed to introduce Strong Towns ideas to the community, shift the conversation, and kickstart the implementation of a Strong Towns approach. It combines multiple events and information sharing, community building, training, and mentoring.

City Council approved a major operating expense of $212,000 in October of 2022 to take part in the exclusive program.

“We are thrilled to be one of only a handful of communities selected to participate in this initiative,” said Medicine Hat Mayor Linnsie Clark in her annual State of the City address on Jan. 24 at the Medicine Hat Lodge. “The Community Action Lab is a bold initiative that will support us in becoming a resilient and sustainable community.”

An important priority of the CAL is building community dialogue.

“The Strong Towns content is designed for a broad audience with an interest in making their city better,” said Rochelle Pancoast, managing director of the city’s Strategic Management and Analysis division and interim city manager. “Success depends on participation from not only city planners, but all residents, business owners, community groups, and any other interested stakeholders.”

The first of three main public engagements planned for 2023 will take place Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. in the main theatre of Medicine Hat’s Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre. Attendance is free but registration is required. Register here or visit www.medicinehat.ca/strongtowns.

Strong Towns was established by Charles “Chuck” Marohn, a civil engineer and city planner. He is the author of several popular planning books including Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Build American Prosperity and Confessions of a Recovering Engineer: Transportation for a Strong Town.

“We’re really excited to be bringing these ideas to Medicine Hat,” says Marohn, who will visit the community in person to present at the Feb. 7 event. “Medicine Hat, in particular, jumped out at us for demonstrating strong leadership with a proactive vision for the community and staff with a deep commitment to curiosity and thoughtfulness. I’ve circled this community as one with great upside potential. We’re going to have a lot of fun together.”

The other three communities selected to engage in the carefully customized, two-year relationship with Strong Towns include Lake County, Florida; Chisholm, Minnesota; and Norman, Oklahoma.

To learn more about Strong Towns and the Medicine Hat Community Action Lab, visit medicinehat.ca/strongtowns.

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For media inquiries, please contact:
media@medicinehat.ca

or

Lauren Fisher
Communications Manager, Strong Towns
lauren@strongtowns.org