JasonParis
Moderator
Representing Urban Toronto, I have recently become involved with The Transit Camp Community. As some of you may remember, Transit Camp began as a grass-roots event in Toronto in 2007, created without official support or sponsorship, and has since spread to other cities. The initial event was so successful that Metrolinx has decided to sponsor this next series of events.
The new initiative is made up of two parts: an online community at http://metronauts.ca and a series of community events held across the GTA & Hamilton between April and September of this year.
The first of such Metronauts Transit Camp events will take place on Saturday, April 5, 2008, at the MaRS Centre in Toronto. The event will be organized as an "unconference," where every participant will have the opportunity to suggest topics for discussion and share their knowledge and experiences with the group.
The event aims to attract transit riders, as well as drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and anyone else concerned with how they get around the city. We truly need a diverse range of people so please pass this information to anyone concerned about transportation issues across the region. The wider the net cast the better. Honestly, our #1 challenge is getting a diverse group of people to the conversation. We want to reach out to new audiences: professional/commercial drivers, soccer moms, people who park, people in under-serviced neighbourhoods, road warriors, suburbanites, etc. If you know particular individuals that you can bring into the mix, please ask them to register!
Registration for the event has begun on the newly-launched Metronauts.ca website. The website will provide event participants and interested citizens another avenue for discussion about transportation in the region, and will also facilitate individual and group projects for those looking to get involved directly.
There is also some coverage in this recent Toronto Star article as well: http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/349619
Also, we are looking for community sponsors - organizations that would be willing to support the first event with a $300 sponsorship in return for recognition and participation. Please let Mark Kuznicki if you are willing to participate financially at: mark@remarkk.com or 416-994-2470.
I hope to see some Urban Toronto members April 5th @ MaRS!
