Montgomery Parks To Hold Session About Its Post-COVID Future

SILVER SPRING, MD — Montgomery Parks will host an online session next week to discuss the impacts COVID-19 has had on park visitation and what that could mean for green spaces in a post-pandemic world.

The free event — called "Post-COVID People, Parks & Cities: Learnings from a Pandemic" — will be held on Tuesday, March 23 at 2 p.m.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted the necessity of parks and open space, but also magnified issues that have long existed including; lack of equity, poverty, deficiency of parks in quantity and quality, shortage of recreation programs, poor sidewalks, unsustainable mobility, and unsafe streets," Montgomery Parks said in a statement.

At the event, 8 80 Cities Founder Gil Penalosa will share examples of how cities around the world have responded to the pandemic and explain why leaders must change the way they create, plan, and manage these spaces, officials said.

His presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session. Click here to register for the event. A link will be sent to your email.

Per a Montgomery Parks press release:

About Gil Penalosa
Gil (Guillermo) Penalosa, MBA, PhDhc, CSP

Gil Penalosa is passionate about creating vibrant and healthy cities for all people. Because of his unique blend of experience, pragmatism and passion, he has been invited him to work in over 350 different cities in all continents. Gil is the founder and chair of the internationally recognized Canadian non-profit organization 8 80 Cities. He is also first Ambassador of World Urban Parks and creator of the project Our Third Act. Before immigrating to Canada, Gil was Commissioner in Bogota where he led the construction of over 200 parks and development of new Ciclovia, where each Sunday 1 of 4 citizens participate. He holds an MBA from UCLA's Anderson School of Management, where he was selected as one of the "100 Most Inspirational Alumni" in the school's history. Gil received a Doctorate Honoris Causa from the Faculty of Urban Planning at the prominent University in Sweden, SLU. Last year Gil was in Planetizen's Top 50 Most Influential Urbanists and recently received in Australia the World Urban Parks Annual Distinguished Individual Award.