Discussion | City Issues

• Describing your city, which of the following do you like least about living there, and which would convince you / have convinced you to flee to the country?
  • Rising rent and property taxes, despite city's declining reputation. Decrease in housing availability.
  • General crowding and overpopulation.
  • ​Poor traffic management, lack of parking and inadequate cycling infrastructure
  • Absence of private green spaces in apartment buildings and safe public parks for families
  • Excessive noise pollution, particularly at night, from neighbours, bars and vehicles.
  • Policing of streets seemingly non-existent (persistent vandalism, drug dealing, violence, etc.)
  • Poor street lighting creating dark dangerous zones
  • General hygiene and cleanliness issues (littering, dog poo not picked up, inconsistent waste collection, rodent infestations, etc.)
  • Local businesses closing, replaced by generic chains.
  • Limited entertainment venues, social isolation and weak community connections.
  • Lack of job opportunities for job seekers / people looking to move up.
• Can you see these issues being resolved? How could city design impact your city? Could technology be the solution?

Writing | Promoting Contact Between Neighbours

• Listen to the podcast on a way to improve contact between neighbours. How would you react to this scheme?

• Plan an essay on promoting greater contact between neighbours.
  1. New shared spaces (children parks, seating areas, notice boards, etc.)
  2. Digital communication channels (Signal / Whatsapp Groups, etc.)
  3. Another idea (examples: groups, garden workshops, neighbourhood events and BBQs, safety patrols, etc.)