A local Town Councillor walked away from the 55th Annual Making Cities Livable Conference with some innovative ideas for Okotoks.

Tanya Thorn, Okotoks Town Councillor, says the conference brings people from many different places to discuss innovative design, planning and ideas.

" It brings together people from around the world to talk about good planning, good design, innovative ideas that make our communities desirable." she said.

The International Conference took place in Ottawa on May 14th to 18th and included a design awards competition for designing healthy, ten minute neighbourhoods.

The idea behind the ten minute neighbourhood is a design strategy that offers residents access to anything they may want to do within a community that is within a ten minute walking distance.

Thorn says she came away from the conference with some great information and ideas for designing new neighbourhoods where residents can thrive.

" How we will create these pockets where people can thrive, so they can transition throughout that community as their lifestyles change, but they can stay in that same community and build relationships." said Thorn.

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