The Institute of Urban Studies

Michael Dudley reviews the Prince of Wales' new book, Harmony, in the Winnipeg Free Press:

"According to the prince, our civilization's woes can be traced to the ideological dominance of modernism and scientific rationalism. In promoting a thoroughly mechanistic view of humanity and the world and demystifying nature, these beliefs led us to consider all plants, animals and minerals as mere economic commodities.

Not incidentally, many of these innovations are those undertaken by the prince himself. Between his Foundation for the Built Environment, the Foundation for Integrated Health, the Accounting for Sustainability project, the School of Traditional Arts, various sustainable agriculture efforts and his Start campaign to promote more sustainable consumer choices, Prince Charles has achieved results few elected officials can match."

The recent controversy over a large illuminated sign on a building in Winnipeg's downtown led IUS Director Jino Distasio to comment in the Winnipeg Free Press that, while the installation of such signs must follow permitting rules we do need to consider that most of the world's famous cities -- Manhattan, Tokyo, Las Vegas -- are awash in neon eye candy. Perhaps it's time, he writes, for Winnipeg to follow suit:

"we must...recognize the need for downtowns to be a bit brash and bold. We need the neon, the lights and the action to create an identity."

IUS Research Associate Dr. Gina Sylvestre was interviewed by the CBC and the radio station CJOB on her ongoing work related to a "Sidewalk Index" measuring how hazardous walking conditions are.

'The Safe Communities Winnipeg Committee has been creating what's being called a 'slip and fall index' to help people navigate — or stay away entirely from — dangerous areas until city crews can correct the problem."

IUS has been invited to sit on the Canadian Commission for UNESCO's Sectoral Commission on the Natural, Social and Human Sciences. IUS Director Jino Distasio was in Ottawa November 23rd to meet with the Commission.

IUS Research Associate Michael Dudley has an op ed in the latest issue of Curb Magazine, entitled "Two Eruptions, One Warning," which examines the near-simultaneous disasters in the spring of 2010 -- the Icelandic volcano and the Deepwater Horizon -- and their implications for our oil-dependent society. Curb is produced at the City-Region Studies Centre at the University of Alberta.

IUS Research Associate Dr. Gina Sylvestre spoke at the 2010 Convention of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities on the topic of handi-vans in rural Manitoba. She spoke on the need for municipal engagement in their operation, as well as for AMM to take on a leadership role in effecting policy change to the Mobility Disadvantaged Transportation Program (MDTP) in terms of guidelines and licensing.

IUS Director Jino Distasio will be speaking at the symposium "My City's Still Breathing" which examines how the arts and design relate to city-making.

IUS researcher and librarian Michael Dudley is a speaker at the 2010 conference of the Disaster Recovery Information Exchange (Central) in Winnipeg, November 5th, speaking on the theme of "City Planning: From Crisis to Resilience."

IUS Director Jino Distasio was a speaker at the 9th International Conference on Urban Health held in New York City, October 27-29th 2010. He spoke about the experience of the Winnipeg Site of the At Home/Chez Soi project on mental illness and homelessness.

IUS Director Jino Distasio was interviewed for CBC's The National on the recent controversy in Winnipeg over bike lanes. The story, "The Battle Over Bike Lanes" is available on the CBC National website.