Noteworthy News: October 22nd-28th

Our weekly curation of news articles and analysis:

• Public Participation:  More than an “Orgy of Public Process” Is it true that “most folks lack the knowledge to make intelligent decisions about the future of our cities”? (Next American City)

• Vancouver’s on the Cusp of an Office Boom: Close 2.5 million square feet of office space is coming on line in the next 4 years in the city of Vancouver. (VanCity Buzz)

• It’s time for voters to occupy the ballot box: The Occupy Wall Street movement spreads across the globe, yet most people don’t bother to vote in civic elections, which affect them most. (Vancouver Sun)

• Creating Places for People — The Melbourne Experience: Rob Adams, the Director of City Design for Melbourne, shares some of his experiences on how Melbourne’s success could be applied to development in Metro Vancouver’s key centres. (SFU City Program)

• What makes a good urban park: City parks have been endangered by suburban flight, privatization and design overkill. Here’s a short list of basics for planning true public spaces. (New Urban Network)