Public transport lecture

An international expert in liveable cities, Gil Peñalosa, will present a public lecture for 8 - 80 Cities on bringing international experience to Joburg.
JOBURG’S transport department will host a public lecture with the theme, “Transporting our streets: bringing the international experience to Joburg”, with 8 - 80 Cities frontman Gil Peñalosa.

8-80 citiesThe lecture will take place on 16 May at 5pm at the University of Johannesburg’s Fada Auditorium on its Bunting Road Campus in Auckland Park. A non-profit organisation based in Canada, 8 - 80 Cities works to contribute to the creation of vibrant cities and healthy communities, where residents live happier lives and enjoy great public places.

“We promote walking and bicycling as activities and urban parks, trails and other public spaces as great places for all,” it notes. “These activities and public spaces improve our environment, advance economic development, boost and complement our transportation systems, make better recreation for all, and enhance our personal and public health.”

The organisation has worked throughout the world and has provided assistance through a range of services to meet the diverse needs of the global public. At the top of the organisation is Peñalosa, 8 - 80 Cities executive director, who will be heading the public lecture.

He is an internationally renowned liveable city adviser and social marketing strategist who is passionate about improving the quality of life for all by promoting walking and cycling as well as creating and using city parks.

Peñalosa also works as senior consultant for the Danish firm, Gehl Architects, and serves on the board of directors of American Trails, Ciclovias of the Americas, and City Parks Alliance.

“Gil’s presentations draw on his experience and successes in both the private and public sector,” reads the 8 – 80 Cities website. “As a former commissioner of parks, sport and recreation for the city of Bogotá, Colombia, Gil successfully led the design and development of over 200 parks.”

His team also initiated the “new Ciclovia”, or car-free Sundays, today an internationally recognised weekly programme that has more than 1.3 million people walking, running, skating and biking along 121 kilometres of road in Bogotá.