Evaluating and Embedding Climate and Community Resilience & Indigenous Approaches in Civic Spaces

The session explores how data, place-based knowledge and experiences, and community engagement play a pivotal role in the evolving design of civic spaces that are climate and community resilient, inclusive, just and regenerative. The Embedding Resilience and Reconciliation Tool for Open Spaces aims to assist municipalities, open space stewards, placemakers and planners in monitoring, evaluating and enhancing climate resilience capacity, community wellbeing and inclusiveness, and the embedding of Indigenous-inclusive approaches and UNDRIP principles within civic spaces. The workshop will introduce the purpose and objectives, knowledge and data plurality, evaluation methodology, multi-dimensional questionnaires, community engagement, and pilot study findings. The interactive and applied element will engage participants in facilitated breakout groups, especially inviting them to apply + adapt the tool to their context and specific needs, advocating for better public spaces that support inclusive, resilient, just and regenerative communities. There will be space created for collective sensemaking, improvement planning, and recommendations.