Scott Doyon, a parent and an urbanist, argues that the suburban model isn't doing kids any favors. But, he says, designing urban areas that are kid-friendly is still a challenge.
Doyon writes:
"These are folks who realize that, for a child, having increasing opportunities to navigate the world around them, explore, invent, fall down, scrape knees, make decisions, screw up, get into - and solve - conflicts and, ultimately, achieve a sense of personal identity and self-sufficiency is a good thing. The right thing."
Doyon talks about Vancouver, a city that worked hard to be family-friendly but still has managed to not attract families in significant numbers to the city center:
"Talk of how it takes a village to raise a child sounds - and feels - good but, to make it work, you need a village to start with. Which means you need politicos willing to allow it, and developers willing to build it.'
Thanks to Hazel Borys
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City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority