From the Hamilton Spectator: "Urban expert Christopher Leinberger has witnessed a revolution in his Washington, D.C. neighbourhood. Ten years ago, his Dupont Circle townhouse in the historic district of the nation’s capital was worth 25 per cent less per square foot than a house in suburban Maryland or Virginia 30 minutes away. That same townhouse is worth 70 per cent more per square foot today. A key element, says Leinberger, is an urban rail system. The metro region of Washington has more examples of walkable urbanism than any other city in North America, he says, and 90 per cent of them are served by rail.
"The same trend is evident in Canada’s biggest cities of Toronto and Vancouver, he says, and is likely inevitably coming to other metro areas. So what is a walkable neighbourhood? Well, if you have no viable choice but to get in your car to hit a grocery store or a bank, you aren’t in a walkable neighbourhood. According to Leinberger, walkability means there are many destinations within 500 to 800 metres of your doorstep. Leinberger will be the keynote speaker at Thursday’s fourth annual Hamilton Economic Summit. The theme of this year’s summit is focused on bringing people and profits to the lower city, defined as stretching through the downtown and the waterfront." Full article here.