2018 Healthy Places: Focus On Healthcare

Late in 2017, Sustainable Calgary commissioned a review of international precedents on innovative health care campuses: campuses that aim to integrate themselves in their local communities to promote walkable, vibrant and healthy neighbourhoods. Juliana Morar (MEDes, Landscape Design), has completed her work, and we are excited to share it - and to hear your thoughts!

This research is inspired by our work with local communities, through the Active Neighbourhoods Canada (ANC) project. Funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada, ANC supports walking, biking and vibrant streets through community-led and  professionally developed urban design projects. Over the course of our work, we have collaborated with communities who are excited about the possibilities surrounding new health campus developments, and how these can contribute to vibrant - and healthy - streetscapes.

At the same time, healthcare providers in Calgary have been evaluating how they can improve pedestrian experiences in and around their facilities; health agencies at all levels of government have been stressing the importance of healthy built environments, as demonstrated by Chief Public Health Ocer Theresa Tam's very first publication "Designing Healthy Living"; and there has been growing momentum within municipal and provincial departments around health impact assessments for new development projects.

The time is ripe to explore how health campuses can contribute to healthy built environments, and respond to the needs of local communities. We welcome you to join us on March 26, 9:30AM - 11:30AM, to hear about our research, engage in conversation, and enjoy delicious snacks.