The livable city : World Urban Forum 2006

It wasn’t easy to convince the politicians or the staff of the Planning Department that engaging people to express their opinion about livability would lead to a worthwhile outcome but the result of the participatory process was more insightful than either the planners or the public expected and eventually led to the development of the Livable Region Strategic Plan. [...] In the livable city both social and physical elements must collaborate for the well being and progress of the community, and of the individual persons as members of the community… A livable city is a city where common spaces are the centers of social life and the foci of the entire community. [...] The paper focuses on the development of the Livable Region Strategic Plan, the Sustainable Region Initiative, and the citiesPLUS 100-year vision for the GVRD. [...] The aim of the federation is to meet the needs of the residents of the region, to help protect the quality of life in the region, and to efficiently and cost-effectively deliver the region’s services. [...] The Dubai Award nomination emphasized that “the value of the comprehensive consultation process and partnerships that resulted through the development and endorsement of the LRSP is perhaps the greatest lesson learned.”xi The meaningful involvement of municipalities and other partners was essential to the ability of the plan to address sensitive issues such as the allocation of growth in different