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In the 10th session of Reinventing Stamford, scores of participants talked about challenges facing this evolving urban area and considered potential solutions from a number of perspectives.
"Everybody is creative and everybody has latent creative ability," said John Englehart, one of four experts interviewed. The entrepreneur urged that the city, while moving forward, be "audacious in its goals."
The town meeting attracted about 180 people to UConn Wednesday night. In addition to Englehart, founder of FIDO (Fearless Innovation Designed Online), they heard from educator Dennis Littky, co-founder of Big Picture Learning; urban designer Stan Eckstut; and Kip Bergstrom, originator of Reinventing Stamford. Each was interviewed by journalist Tom Appleby.
The purpose of the meetings is to generate public discussion about the possibility of Stamford as a "New American City," a sort of role model for similar urban areas to emulate as they re-establish themselves after being stung by the recession.
"Wall Street is Main Street," said Bergstrom about the financial sector's impact on cities, which spurred the ongoing civic conversation. As the sessions evolved, participants sought to learn "what are the different emergent conditions that affect the city of Stamford," he said.
Wednesday's theme was "Building the New American City and the New American Metropolis." It focused on entrepreneurship, education, public space and transportation.
"I think an ideal city for innovation is one that is obsessed with discovery," said Englehart.
Littky has established 75 schools across the country that place heavy emphasis on community mentorships. "I would love to come to Stamford and figure out how to use all the resources to do this," he said.
Previous discussions have examined topics such as the economy and education, downtown space, and opportunities for job creation. The meetings, launched in March 2009, include breakout sessions and networking.
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