It has come to our attention that the originator of the concept of 'fifteen minute cities', one Professor Carlos Moreno, is visiting Oxford in February to present and discuss the concept in a two hour long event: Urban Futures - the proximity revolution. An introduction to the 15 minute city concept by its founder.
The little town (5000 pop) where I grew up and went to school, was a sustainable farming town. There was a grocery store at the north end of town and store near the square that covered the south end of town. The town is still there, but has only one grocery store. It could be a 15 minute retirement community, but the city councilmen are morons. they don't provide any reason for young people to stick around.
I live in another small town now, that could be a 15 minute community, except it needs a grocery store, a couple more places to sit down and eat, and a nice park, closer to the center of town.
If I were to design a sustainable (15 minute) community, I'd start with the courthouse, then around the square, I'd place clothing stores, book stores, restaurants, cafe's, a couple of doctors offices, a grocrey store, and a nice park. From there, in a square pattern, I'd build houses around the square in two to three rows, then another park, a few cafe's on the perimeter, then more houses, then a small hospital and another grocery or convenience store, All the schools in one place, etc. etc.
It's not hard to figure out how to build a nice little community, the problem is in doing it right.
The way they are doing it now is not right. You can't take an established town and chop it into 15 minute zones.
I hate spending more than 15 minutes in just about any city.
So for you, all cities are 15 minute cities
The little town (5000 pop) where I grew up and went to school, was a sustainable farming town. There was a grocery store at the north end of town and store near the square that covered the south end of town. The town is still there, but has only one grocery store. It could be a 15 minute retirement community, but the city councilmen are morons. they don't provide any reason for young people to stick around.
I live in another small town now, that could be a 15 minute community, except it needs a grocery store, a couple more places to sit down and eat, and a nice park, closer to the center of town.
If I were to design a sustainable (15 minute) community, I'd start with the courthouse, then around the square, I'd place clothing stores, book stores, restaurants, cafe's, a couple of doctors offices, a grocrey store, and a nice park. From there, in a square pattern, I'd build houses around the square in two to three rows, then another park, a few cafe's on the perimeter, then more houses, then a small hospital and another grocery or convenience store, All the schools in one place, etc. etc.
It's not hard to figure out how to build a nice little community, the problem is in doing it right.
The way they are doing it now is not right. You can't take an established town and chop it into 15 minute zones.
As ever, very well-said! (Do you want to write a statement about this for the next full BCC meeting, by any chance??)
I did a piece on Oxford when I was there last May briefly.
https://plebeianresistance.substack.com/p/oxford-and-its-bicycle-bollards