Our conference was founded on the belief that greater access to walking and bicycling will create healthier individuals, cohesive neighborhoods, and vibrant communities.
We started with a hundred idealistic cyclists in 1980 and we called ourselves Pro Bike. Then we evolved because we found common cause with walking: streets that are unsafe for biking are also difficult to cross for pedestrians. In 2012, under the stewardship of Project for Public Spaces, we added the final piece: Place. We meet every two years for three days and we have grown over 10-fold in our 30+ year history.
The 19th Pro Walk/Pro Bike/Pro Place in Vancouver is expected to draw 1,000 city planners, transportation engineers, public health professionals, elected officials, community leaders, and professional walking and bicycling advocates.
Our breakout sessions, panel discussions, and poster sessions address the latest trends, research, and best practices. Plenary speakers bring perspectives from other disciplines, and other experiences to help improve and expand our practice.
To get a sense of our conference programming, peruse our 2014 schedule for session highlights, and research found here.
Pro Walk/Pro Bike/Pro Place will convene in Vancouver, BC, September 12-15, 2016 at the Sheraton Wall Centre. Hotel rooms are available at the Sheraton at a special conference rate of $199 CAN. The location typifies Vancouver’s particular kind of livability: amidst a dense urban core can be found resilient neighborhoods, a network of innovative urban bikeways, open space, connections to public transit, dozens of unique destinations within walking distance and (most importantly) a culture that embraces active transportation for health, for sustainability and for fun.
Vancouver’s high quality of life comes from decisions made decades ago, when the city rejected the thrall of freeways and car culture, opting instead to preserve its walkable urban core. In the intervening years, progressive public policy in mobility, governance, health and resilience have made the city the global benchmark on livability. We thought that made Vancouver the perfect place for our conference.
Our program is now online! To access our complete program featuring 80 breakout sessions, 50 poster displays, 50 pecha kucha presentations, and more than 20 mobile workshops, please click here:
All conference activities, unless otherwise noted, will be held at the Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel.
(Note: This schedule is subject to change)
Following the Closing Plenary, Project for Public Spaces will convene with the other Placemaking Week events. More details coming soon at placemakingweek.org
This year Pro Walk Pro Bike Pro Place will be part of a larger week of Placemaking. Global change agents will gather in Vancouver, B.C., for a series of events that will map the future of the placemaking movement. Learn more about other Placemaking Week events here.
