By Amber Shackelford, Portland Bureau of Transportation
With events like Sunday Parkways and new open spaces such as Ankeny Plaza, Portland loves getting people outside into our streets. Because of this, the 2016 International Open Streets Summit is coming to Portland August 18-21. This summit brings together participants from around the world to learn and share techniques to fill their own streets with people for some fun, healthy activity. Two hundred registrants will listen to engaging speakers and tour all sorts of cool spots in Portland.
On Saturday, August 20th at 12 pm, the summit will host a noontime public keynote session at Portland State University’s Smith Memorial Hall (with air conditioning!). It is free and open to anyone who wants to hear from some of the Open Streets movers and shakers. Anyone who wants to learn more or get involved in the open streets movement is invited to join in on this exciting lineup of speakers, including our own Phil Wu, MD of the NW Health Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, NiCole Keith, Research Scientist from the University of Indiana, Tyler Norris, Vice President of Total Health Partnerships, Kaiser Permanente, and the incomparable Dan Burden of the Blue Zones.
The focus of this session is about how we can reimagine and open up our streets to help people be happy, healthy, and socially and physically more active. Phil Wu is a retired pediatric obesity specialist who works to promote healthy living for families. NiCole Keith has worked to develop a partnership between Indianapolis public schools and health centers to provide exercise opportunities particularly in low-income and communities of color. Tyler Norris has founded over a dozen businesses and social ventures that focus on population health, community vitality, and equitable prosperity, and Dan Burden has won lifetime-achievement awards for helping to shape walkable communities around the globe. With this inspiring group of speakers, the session is sure to be a valuable experience when it comes to learning about our street and healthy communities.
For directions to Portland State University's Smith Memorial Hall, click here: https://goo.gl/maps/XYK2rDovesE2