Urban changemaking from home: how a pandemic-centered course enabled student-led action

Last fall, I explored how the pandemic affects urban communities in a Sustainable Development special topics course (SD499 - Pandemics in Cities: Planning for More Resilient and Sustainable Communities). Themes in the course included smart cities, economics, housing, and more. Our instructor, Dr. Cherie Enns, an urban planner from the University of the Fraser Valley, brought expertise in intersectional, human-centred planning and used practical and creative case studies throughout the term, to demonstrate how cities are inevitably shaped by COVID-19. She also invited a city councillor, an art professor, urban planners and others to share their perspectives on how to prepare for our final project.

Dr. Enns challenged students to consider equity concerns throughout the term. We applied this analytical tool in an assignment that asked us to blog about our neighbourhoods, to demonstrate how the built environment is tightly linked with social, cultural, economic, and political landscapes. Fully embracing the assignment, I painted my ideal neighbourhood. This assignment encouraged me to get creative, push boundaries, and think critically.

Our final assignment was a team project that involved preparing a Policy Brief identifying how to improve public spaces in Abbotsford, and proposing solutions that consider human-centred design. Six teams presented their policies to Abbotsford planning professionals. Three teams showed how public art can embrace diversity and connection in the community, and another group suggested implementing urban acupuncture using art and patio design. The remaining two groups touched on sustainability through active transportation and urban horticulture. Doing a project that applied my learning to a real-world problem left me feeling empowered and hopeful for the future of our cities.

When I asked my instructor how she felt about the course, she shared:

“I was inspired by how the students in the midst of a pandemic pushed boundaries to address community resiliency and the critical need to apply an inclusive, diverse and equitable lens to all city building processes.”

Doing a project remotely at the height of an unprecedented crisis was challenging, but we made the most out of our weekly Zoom calls. My group focused on showcasing Abbotsford’s cultural diversity through public art. Some team members had knowledge of Policy Brief structure, some were wizards with formatting and graphics, and some contributed their compelling written voices. It all coalesced into policy recommendations backed up by case studies. We suggested to Abbotsford planners that they create a public art program with an Indigenous focus, to facilitate placemaking in outdoor spaces. We detailed the intentions, budget considerations, consultation needs, and the benefits of implementing an art program which considers the intersections of health and reconciliation. Our team publicly shares our project document on LinkedIn.