Fourth Capitals Alliance Meeting

From September 18 to 23, 2005, the NCC  had the privilege of hosting the fourth Capitals Alliance Meeting here in Canada’s Capital Region. This year’s meeting focused on issues related to the management of national capitals. In addition to the Capitals Profile sessions, during which each capital  presented a general overview of its planning processes, there were several discussions and exchanges:

The Capital in the Metropolis

Through sharing experiences, analyze how land-use planning strategies can be used to promote a balanced distribution of socio-economic benefits to the capital city and its territory, since national capitals tend to feature a concentration of urban and cultural facilities, symbolic attractions and a higher number of qualified or professional job opportunities than other cities.

Representing and Involving Citizens in their National Capital

Explore the challenge of balancing local urban planning and architectural concerns with planning and promoting capital cities as symbols of patriotism and citizen­ship. A capital represents more than just the government’s seat of power and the host environment for diplomatic functions; it also expresses the cultural values and aspirations of an entire nation.

Achieving Projects Through Partnerships

Focus on ways of ensuring the successful development of capital cities through participants’ experiences and case studies. Through several types of partnerships — from public/private projects to joint public-agency initiatives — new approaches that bring resources and players together can help realize major projects in today’s world. Key areas to consider include life cycle management, heritage rehabilitation and waterfront redevelopment opportunities.

Green Capital: Cultural Landscapes, Parks and Open Spaces

Explore strategies to ensure sustainable preservation of the capital city’s cultural heritage and identity — how to reconcile preservation of cultural landscape, parks and open spaces with the pressures associated with new projects — including a discussion on “inserting” new developments into an historic area and rehabilitating formerly degraded historic and natural areas.

Planning the Capital City Gateway

Examine how capital cities are planning airports, their gateway to the world. In this era of globalization, the airport, a key component of national and inter­national communication and transportation, becomes integral to creating a truly “global city” and hence a “global” capital.

Ottawa Statement

As one of the founding members of the Capitals Alliance, the NCC is pleased to have led the discussion on creating a statement representing the common objectives for this network of capital cities, as well as the priorities and responsibilities of its members over the next five years.

Related Links

• Ottawa Statement (pdf – 67 Kb)
• Press Release