Contact:

Janet Webber, SFU Public Square, 778.782.9479, jwebber@sfu.ca

Scott McLean, SFU Vancouver, 778.782.5151, srmclean@sfu.ca

He has been recognized with the Order of Canada for transforming Vancouver’s downtown core, and on September 18, Larry Beasley will join other thought leaders at Opening Night at the Orpheum to tackle the issue of isolation and disconnection in the urban environment.

The evening kicks off SFU Public Square’s inaugural community summit Alone Together: Connecting in the City, and will feature a discussion of the concerns brought to light by the Vancouver Foundation’s recent study on Connections and Engagement.

The study, released in June, revealed a “powerful yearning for stronger connections in and between our communities,” among Lower Mainlanders.

When he retired in 2006 from his position as director of planning for the City of Vancouver, Beasley had been a part of the dramatic reshaping of Vancouver’s neighbourhoods and inner city.

Known as the ‘Vancouver Model,’ his vision of a city for the people was furthered by his unique approach to city planning, focusing on fostering dialogue between citizens and planners in order to understand the desired living conditions of a city.

Through projects and programs such as the revitalization of neighbourhoods, a strong heritage preservation program, the City's urban design studio and a successful civic fundraising initiative, Beasley showed his passion and drive to design a city that had functional purpose for its inhabitants.

Beasley will join Toronto artist-activist Dave Meslin, CBC Radio host Nora Young, the Vancouver Foundation’s Catherine Clement and SFU Chancellor Carole Taylor, Vancouver rockers Bend Sinister and slam-poet Shane Koyczan on the Orpheum stage Tuesday.

SFU Public Square was officially launched in June of 2012, and originated from the university’s yearlong consultation process, which produced SFU’s strategic vision as “The Engaged University.”

SFU Public Square is designed to put SFU’s physical, intellectual and virtual capacities to work to support public engagement and deliberation on issues of public concern.

• What: SFU Public Square’s Opening Night at the Orpheum 

• Where: The Orpheum, 601 Smithe St., Vancouver, B.C. 

• When: September 18, Doors 6 pm, show begins at 7pm. 

• Cost: $15 General Admission, $5 students and unwaged, tickets available online.
  

For more information on SFU Public Square and Alone Together – Connecting in the City, please visit: http://www.sfu.ca/publicsquare

Simon Fraser University is Canada's top-ranked comprehensive university and one of the top 50 universities in the world under 50 years old. With campuses in Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey, B.C., SFU engages actively with the community in its research and teaching, delivers almost 150 programs to more than 30,000 students, and has more than 120,000 alumni in 130 countries.

-30-

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