Imagining TogetherOur Public Engagement Story

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IMAGINING TOGETHER OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT STORY
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THE CHALLENGE

• How do you involve citizens in a conversation
  about the future?

Exercise Introduce yourself to your neighbour and
ask them What do you value about your city or
community?
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THE 5 QUESTIONS
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INVITE CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE

• Advertising campaign on buses, television,
  library slips, energy bills newspapers
• Website (imagineCALGARY.ca)
• Bridge Banners

• Calgary QUEST
• Imagining Sessions
• Intergenerational Interviews
• Youth Art Murals
• Contest with Prizes

• Round Table
• Working Groups (targets strategies)
• Internal Integration
• Partners Friends (Legacy)

City of Calgary engage! framework
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WHO WAS ENGAGED?
CALGARIANS (18,000) An extensive engagement
program to capture Calgarians ideas through
advertising, event presence and visioning
sessions with youth, ethno-cultural, aboriginal
and disability groups
imagineCALGARY Round Table Citizen volunteers
that represent the heart of the project - working
to develop the 100 year vision and goals
MAYORS PANEL ON URBAN SUSTAINABILITY (25)
Leaders of educational institutions, voluntary
sector organizations, business groups, and
regional partners
WORKING GROUPS (85) Five multi-disciplinary
groups that incorporated systems thinking in
drafting the 30 year targets and strategies to
achieve the 100 year vision
imagineCALGARY PROJECT TEAM (10) City of Calgary
staff that coordinate project activities
ADVISORS (175) Interested citizens called upon to
review the output of the Round Table and Working
Groups
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WEBSITE
www.imaginecalgary.ca
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ENGAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

• Intergenerational Interviews
• 52 Youth Volunteers worked 435 hours
  interviewing 150 business and community leaders
• Youth Art Murals
• Capturing the future through art
• imagineATTACKS
• Hired actors to engage at events
• imagining Sessions
• Inviting citizens to share their ideas in a
  face-to-face setting
• Advertising Campaign - Contest
• Organising a contest with prizes for those
  answering at events or on-line

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CALGARY METROQUEST

• A scenario exploration tool that shows users the
  long-term (40 year) outcomes of different choices
  
• Audiences create future scenarios by deciding on
  a range of options within a number of areas.
• Highlights connections between choices and
  outcomes
• Demonstrates the integrated nature of issues
  within a region.

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ENGAGING DIALOGUE

• Over 364 community events face-to-face
  conversations
• Speaker series featuring Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt
  Bliss Browne for Round Table Mayors Panel
• Re-engaged stakeholder groups around the DRAFT
  vision
• What inspires you about the vision?
• What would you add to strengthen the vision?

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TIMELINE
March 05
July 05
June 06
November05
March 06
Round Table Support
Public input on 5 Questions
Youth Interviews
Art Murals
Cities PLUS
Draft Vision
Working Groups
City Council
Advisors
Identify Partners Friends
Round Table
Mayors Panel On Urban Sustainability
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RESULTS OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Calgary completed the largest civic visioning
process in the world as part of a collaborative,
multi-stakeholder approach.
VISION

• Reflects the values of Calgarians

GOALS

• Meeting human needs in a sustainable way

TARGETS

• Expressions to achieve the goals and vision

• Ideas for action to achieve the targets

STRATEGIES

• Keeping imagineCALGARY relevant

LEGACY
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SHARING IDEAS
What is an innovation in public engagement that
holds particular relevance for your
city/community?
Calgary in 2106 Mural painted by students at
Mount Royal Junior High School Calgary, Canada