Charles "Chuck" Marohn will give a presentation on transportation and urban design to a Kamloops audience on Sept. 22, 2022.

Image Credit: StrongTowns.org

An American author, speaker and self-described "recovering" engineer is bringing his presentation on urban planning to Kamloops where he'll be focusing on transportation.

Chuck Marohn is a former civil engineer and founder of the non-profit advocacy group Strong Towns. The group focuses its work on criticism of North American city planning along with educating the public about how cities are built.

"We seek to replace America’s post-war pattern of development, the suburban experiment, with a pattern of development that is financially strong and resilient," the Strong Towns website reads.

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Marohn's lecture is part of his ongoing book tour, and his Kamloops visit was partly organized by the Thompson Rivers University Student Union.

"Young people should have a voice in how our city is designed," Leif Douglass of the student union said.

Douglass isn't sure what design ideas Marohn will focus on as it relates to Kamloops, but he said students who are interested in active transportation or public transit are likely to find inspiration from Marohn's presentation.

Kamloops, like many North American cities, is built with a focus on vehicles.

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While the elevation changes make it difficult for some to opt for bicycle commutes, public transit in the city leaves much to be desired.

Douglass said the timing of the upcoming civic election lines up well to spur discussions among voters and candidates about transportation in the city. He expects some of the candidates will take in the lecture.

The presentation starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at the Paramount Theatre. The lecture is free for students and all others will be charged $5.

More information on the event can be found here.

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