Students showcase CityStudio North Vancouver partnership
What was all the HUBBUB about?
Teams of student participants from CapU's first CityStudio project, in collaboration with the City of North Vancouver (CNV), showcased the results of their innovative project work at the HUBBUB event at North Vancouver's City Hall on December 5, 2019.
CityStudio North Vancouver is an experiemention and innovation hub for the CNV where City staff and Capilano University students and faculty co-create projects to make North Vancouver a more vibrant, sustainable and healthy city. It's part of the CityStudio Network, a Vancouver-based global network of cities working with post-secondary institutions for civic benefit.
“I really believe the CityStudio project with Capilano University is one of the most exciting things we are doing in the City of North Vancouver,” said City of North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan at the HUBBUB event.
Over 50 project ideas were generated by students and City staff at a workshop in May 2019. This week the leading projects were presented, voted on and awarded prizes.
The top prize went to Protect Our Nature, a public awareness campaign to raise awareness about no smoking bylaws in the City. Second and third prize went to projects to enhance The Shipyards development on the City's waterfront by illuminating the pier and adding a digital information board to improve the visitor's experience.
Top three CityStudio project teams with City of North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan in council chambers (Photo by: Rob Newell)
"Through this process I learned a lot of work goes into a project like this," says Victoria Bohl, a third-year student at Capilano University. "You can't just get an idea and carry out a project. Stakeholders are very important. It really is the whole community that needs to be involved and provide input."
Cities and universities are some of the biggest institutions, but historically they didn’t talk to each other, explains Duane Elverun, executive director of CityStudio Network. CityStudio brings together the global movement of youth in cities to create healthier, more vibrant cities. They learn real-world problem solving and engage with civic and business processes.
"I learned how long it takes to get things done in a city," explains Feras Bingursain, a fourth year Business student. "There is a process. You need to have at least a couple of meetings to get knows, to hear from stakeholders to refine your project. If you believe in your idea, which we did, then you stick with it."
This is Capilano University's first semester running the CityStudio program. In 2020 the program is forecast to double from four to eight classes participating in this experiential learning and civic engagment opportunity.
Submitted by: Linda Munro