Wanderlust and Words

I’m a weekly visitor to the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market , part of an evolving redevelopment of the City’s South Downtown . It’s a delight to watch as the riverfront walkway is expanded and new features are added. There are two wonderful sculptures adjacent to the Farmer’s Market, which celebrate some of the City’s earliest residents. Egg Money Egg Money is a particularly appropriate addition to the Farmers’ Market. Designed by Don and Shirley Begg and donated by the German community of Saskatoon, it honours the resourcefulness of Prairie women and their children, who raised chickens and sold the eggs to buy essential items for their families. Storytelling Chairs The Storytelling Chairs , designed by  Jyhling Lee and Paul Koopman, are part of the courtyard behind the Farmers’ Market. They’re a great place to sit and eat your breakfast on a sunny Saturday morning, but they also tell the story of the Immigration Hall, which used to stand on the site (now outlined in stone). ...

Which would you rather read – a statistical report full of charts and graphs – or a novel with interesting characters? For most of us, that’s not a difficult decision. We’re interested in people, what they do and how they think. In fact, non-profits have learned that people will donate more money if we see one individual in need rather than facts about the thousands of people who are dying from disease or hunger. Dan Baum , a former staff writer for The New Yorker, found a way to bridge the gap between fact and fiction. In order to write Nine Lives: Death and Life in New Orleans , Baum held in-depth interviews with nine residents of New Orleans – from a Mardi Gras King to a police officer to a transsexual barkeeper to a successful establishment lawyer. The people come to life on the page, and it’s hard to believe it’s not a work of fiction. Another character is a strong but unseen presence on every page – the City of New Orleans. We listen in on union discussions around integrat...

I have just posted Easy to Understand: 5 Tips for Plain Language Writing as an attachment on my website. I hope you find it useful.

Saskatoon has been enriched over the past few months through the establishment of Great Places , a discussion forum on current issues in the built environment. On Wednesday, November 18, three local professionals shared their perspectives on renovation and design. Structure Supports Ideology Jyhling Lee , architect, public artist and designer, discussed three heritage buildings in Toronto that have been renovated to serve as cultural centres. While respecting the original integrity of the buildings, the structures have been adapted to meet social and environmental needs. 401 Richmond , formerly a factory, is now home to 140 cultural organizations. The entrance way, lobby and wide hallways are social meeting places that build community. The roof garden includes an urban garden, a greenhouse, a deck with free internet access and a 3,000 square foot green roof. The gardens insulate the building, prevent stormwater runoff and counter air pollution. The Centre for Social Innovation ...

Introduction Over the past few years, the public has increasingly demanded greater accountability and transparency from both public and private organizations, and this has had a major impact on communications professionals. It has changed not only what we write but also how we write it. But people are requesting even greater openness, particularly from government. In the past, most citizens believed that they had done their civic duty by voting. After that, it was up to the politicians to make the decisions. That’s no longer the case. People are disillusioned with their politicians. They want more information and greater involvement. A study on Leadership in Customer Service indicated that citizens “do not accept the idea that politicians and civil servants can effectively shape public services simply on the basis of their own assumptions of what is best for citizens. Instead, they want access to channels that will offer them the chance to engage with politicians and public manag...

Great Places will be hosting a discussion on Adaptive Reuse and Cultural Spaces on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 7 PM at the Frances Morrison Library (main downtown branch) in Saskatoon . Information about the event is copied from the flyer distributed by Great Places. Jyhling Lee, Andrew Wallace and Curtis Olson will share their unique perspectives on renovation and design in an evening devoted to the discussion of adaptive reuse and cultural spaces. Jyhling Lee - architect, public artist, and designer - will introduce three adaptive reuse projects which have become important creative cultural complexes within their urban Toronto neighborhoods. She will describe 401 Richmond, The Centre for Social Innovation - Robertson Building, and the Wychwood Barns and discuss how the existing heritage structures have positively influenced their building’s new functional program and the refurbished architectural spaces. In his presentation of Whitby’s Station Gallery, Andrew Wallace -...

I have just finished reading Fordlandia by Greg Grandin, and I am appalled by the human desire to dominate and control the world around us. It’s well known that Henry Ford invented the assembly line, dividing up the act of building a car into 7,882 separate actions. But he had much grander schemes than that. He paid his workers well, but he didn’t want them to waste their money so he set up a Sociological Department and dispatched inspectors to probe into the most personal corners of his employees’ lives. “By 1919, the Sociological Department employed hundreds of agents who spread out over Dearborn and Detroit asking questions, taking notes, and writing up personnel reports. . . . Sociological men came around not just once but two, three, or four times interviewing family members, friends, and landlords to make sure previous reports of probity were accurate. They of course discouraged drinking, smoking, and gambling and encouraged saving, clean living habits, keeping flies off food,...

After a grey day of snow and rain, today's sunshine pulled me out of doors and into the country. The sun was still low in the sky when I arrived at Beaver Creek, and the shadows were darkly drawn upon the land. By the time I left, there was golden sunshine but a strong wind that was pulling the last leaves from the trees and speeding the migrating birds on their way south. beaver creek nov1 09