Smart Growth in Downtown St. John's: February 8, 2010

Monday, February 8, 2010
7:00pm - 9:00pm, City Hall (Foran/Greene Room)

Our Panelists

Elena Patarini, Guest Speaker

Read Elena's Speech

Elena Patarini is a new resident to St. John's. Ms Patarini, a native of Italy, moved to St. John's from New York City in the Fall of 2009. She holds a MS in urban planning and historic preservation, a BArch and a MArch.

Ms. Patarini is a certified urban planner in the United States and a certified architect in Italy, with a background in restoration and historic preservation. An experienced and versatile professional, she has over 15 years of working with local and regional governments, private sector clients, neighborhood groups, and the general public.

Strat Canning, Panelist

Strat Canning has been involved in St. John’s urban planning and development issues for the past 35 years, both as a volunteer and as a professional planner. He was born in St. John’s and attended Memorial University and the University of New Brunswick.

After completing post-graduate studies in Town Planning at Glasgow University, Scotland, he returned to St. John’s where he worked for the Provincial Government and later taught at Memorial University.

As an independent research consultant he has been closely involved in the development of the Province’s offshore petroleum sector since the early 1980s.

For the past two decades, he has been President of Canning and Pitt Associates, Inc.

The company provides operational impact assessment and management services to offshore oil operators and exploration companies in Newfoundland and Labrador, Atlantic Canada and Northern Canada.

In 2000-2001, Strat headed up the Study Team that prepared the Downtown St. John’s Strategy for Economic Development and Heritage Preservation for the City of St. John’s.

Dave Hopley, Panelist

Dave Hopley is a Georgestown resident who is a partner in three commercial ventures downtown. He started Living Planet T-shirts and is a partner in Johnny Ruth - the women's clothing boutique and Pi - the gourmet pizza restaurant on King's Road. Not a native Newfoundlander, Dave considers himself an NBC - a Newfoundlander by choice. He has been in the retail business in various enterprises for 25 years.

Mary Walsh, Panelist

Born and raised in St John’s, Newfoundland, Mary Walsh is known throughout Canada as an accomplished actress, comedian, political satirist and social activist.

Mary began her career in comedy by performing with the CODCO comedy troupe in stage shows that eventually led to a television series in 1987 on CBC. After the series ended in 1992, Mary teamed up with former CODCO co-stars Cathy Jones, Greg Thomey and fellow Newfoundlander Rick Mercer. Together, they formed This Hour Has 22 Minutes.

She is the winner of over thirty Gemini Awards both for her writing and performances. Among her many awards and doctorates, Mary is also the recipient of the Order of Canada.

Keith Storey, Moderator

A native of London, England he came to Canada in 1967 and to St. John's in 1971. A professor in the Department of Geography at Memorial University from 1971 until his retirement in 2009, he is now a university Honorary Research Professor and private sector consultant specializing in the social and economic impact assessment and management of large-scale resource projects.

 

February 8 2010 Smart Growth Invite