What makes a great public space? A new Calgary project wants your feedback

A community engagement project in northeast Calgary is aiming to answer one question: what makes a great public space? 

Charity Vivo for Healthier Generations and Calgary's Parks Foundation are speaking with residents as they transform neighbourhoods and look towards future builds.

The organizations started their engagement with a Saturday event focused in on north-central parks and public spaces. Neighbours, stakeholders and city leaders were on hand to spark a dialogue. 

"We are super excited to bring the community together to talk about what matters to them and what creates amazing outdoor spaces," Vivo CEO Cynthia Watson told CTV News. "We're trying (to answer) how do we honour the land that we live, work, and play on, and how do we co-create what that future is for healthier generations?"

'Place Matters: A North Calgary Project' is a nine month initiative. 

It'll involve more public engagement and community development conversations that will eventually help enhance current and future outdoor public spaces.

"One of the common things that we're hearing a lot is this connection between nature and physical and mental health," Parks Foundation's Sarah Salus said. "These events are important to learn even more."

"Great parks come when we have champions in the community who come together and say, 'this is what we'd like to see in the space,'" area councillor Jasmine Mian added. "It makes me reflect on what we can do to actually make our spaces not just these stock places that you can find in any neighborhood, but ones that are actually meaningful to the community."

Vivo -- a charity trying to inspire locals to get involved in their community well-being -- will be compiling a report with the Parks Foundation. It'll be submitted to City Hall. 

To learn more about the organizations, visit Vivo's or the Parks Foundation websites.