Simon Laplante is a Vancouver based artist and community builder. For years he has been creating mannequins decorated with legos and also illuminates chicken head masks with legos. At a recent opening of his work (that included 81 masks!), he also manufactur...
Berry Great Neighbours
I’m still learning my new neighbourhood and commented to a neighbour that I had shopped at the local market for the first time. She asked if I had tried the strawberries. I mentioned that I was actually looking for them but had not seen them. When I retu...
Radical Hospitality Abounds
Radical Hospitality Spent the week in Brantford Ontario with groups looking at how our local business and institutions can help build connections and community for all and what do we do that impedes that from happening. I was struck by the radical hospitality ...
February 08th, 2016
I was inspired by the creative use of public space in Portland.. In many neighborhoods there are mini food truck “villages”. They usually consists of 6- 15 food trucks and an area for people to gather and eat. Some such as this one have picnic tabl...
Inspired Organizations Think Inside Out
Recently read The Wright Brothers and their journey for man to fly. With no resources other than their income from their bicycle shop they passionately pursued their cause. They studied the movements of birds, experienced many failures, passionately studied th...
An Asset Based Civic Group Still Growing
A group of neighbours came together several years ago to discuss what they loved about their Westwood neighbourhood. It started as a small group usually meeting at a local bar. “Meeting” was a loose way to describe this gathering. It was people i...
“My Glass is Full”
Fun and interesting conversation at Self Determination Conference in the Dells exploring ways to build connections in community. Heard moving stories of the impact of “getting up off the couch” and discovering “my glass is full.” Staff ...
Where Are We Going?
What’s Your Intent In working with many groups looking at starting community connecting type initiatives, I often ask, “What’s your intent?” The work can be a challenge and for service agencies it can often be a leap from their structured operations. S...
Neighborhood Partnerships In Unexpected Places
I tend to frequent the small independent coffee shops… except for when I am in Wisconsin Rapids. I usually go to the McDonalds as it is one of the friendliest “coffee shops.” I must not be the only one to know this, as it is often bustling wi...
Warning: Welcoming Community Ahead Where Everyone Matters and Belongs
Across the state of Wisconsin there are highway signs that read: WARNING: Low Flying Aircraft. These are typically in rural areas with small planes dropping what I assume is fertilizer for the crops. After reading these signs, I noticed my eyes are on red aler...