Contact:
Shauna Sylvester, SFU Public Square, 778.782.7895, shauna_sylvester@sfu.ca
Janet Webber, SFU Public Square, 778.782.9479, jwebber@sfu.ca
Scott McLean, SFU Vancouver, 778.782.5151, srmclean@sfu.ca


In June, Simon Fraser University launched SFU Public Square, a signature initiative of “The Engaged University,” designed to spark, restore, and nurture community connections. In holding true to that spirit, SFU will offer free space at all three campuses (Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey) during the inaugural SFU Public Square community summit September 18-23, for community groups to self-organize.

“We wanted to capture the vitality of a public square by offering community groups the opportunity to utilize SFU’s locations to plan their events,” says Shauna Sylvester, executive director of SFU Public Square.

In addition to the physical location, applicants for Open Space will also be entitled to a minimum $500 grant to assist in hosting their event.

“The most interesting public squares are vibrant spaces that feature programmed events, like concerts, open-air films, or long-table conversations. By offering this opportunity to community groups we believe SFU can help foster these types of creative ideas,” adds Sylvester. 

SFU Public Square’s community summit has chosen the theme of Alone Together: Connecting in the City, stemming from recent research conducted by the Vancouver Foundation that highlighted the issue of isolation and disconnection in the urban environment. The weeklong summit is expected to attract over 10,000 participants, with a goal of strengthening engagement across community and cultural divides.

The deadline for Open Space submissions is Friday, August 17. Full application details are available online.

For more information: http://www.sfu.ca/publicsquare

-30-

Simon Fraser University: Engaging Students. Engaging Research. Engaging Communities.