TransLink launches community consultation sessions

John Howe, general manager for Investment Strategy and Projects, Metrolinx (formerly Greater Toronto Transportation Authority) Petra Todorovich, director of America 2050, a national urban infrastructure and growth strategy planning initiative in the US Robert Yaro, president of the Regional Plan Association, speaking on New York City’s sustainability plan and the progress it’s making Steve Heminger, executive-director of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in the San Francisco Bay Area.

In the afternoon, participants will have a chance to play “It’s Your Move”, a board game designed to give TransLink planners an idea of what the public wants for a regional transportation network and help members of the public understand the complex challenges of designing such a network.

“It’s Your Move” looks and plays like a board game, but in fact, it’s a way for people to learn about the complex issues involved in designing a transportation network, while at the same time giving TransLink planners and executives an idea of the public’s priorities.  Because up to eight people play collaboratively at each table, “It’s Your Move” encourages important discussion about the future of transportation and the region as a whole.  What services are available?  What do people want?  What can they live without?  Who should pay for it, and how?

Each table gets two decks of cards.  One represents transportation services at three different levels of investment.  The other deck represents various funding options under the current revenue streams.  Using the cards, the players build a transportation network and then decide how to pay for it, trying to make the points total on the “funding side” match the points total on the “service side”.  If the funding comes up short, there’s a third deck of cards, representing additional funding possibilities, which would require new legislation.   Each table fills out comment sheets – individually and collectively – indicating the choices and preferences; the feedback on these sheets will be taken into consideration as the public consultation and planning process moves forward.

“It’s Your Move” will also be available for the Front Room Forums.  More information on the workshops, the Front Room Forums and TransLink’s public consultation process in general can be found at http://www.bepartoftheplan.ca/.