Challenging Windsor's Future

The American Association for the Advancement of Science, through its' Grand Challenges for Engineering project, has identified 14 areas that it views as essential to "secure against both human and natural threats [and] improve the quality of life in our nation and around the world" according to Charles Vest, president of the National Academy of Engineering.

A quick review of the intentionally non-partisan, unranked list, demonstates that the 18 members of the project committee are some of the most forward-thinking, cutting edge intellects of our time. Granted, the members of the committee did not have to actually solve the issues, but simply identify the areas that they felt were criticial to the preservation and advancement of our global society.

The areas, as listed on the project website, are:

• Make solar energy economical
• Provide energy from fusion
• Develop carbon sequestration methods
• Manage the nitrogen cycle
• Provide access to clean water
• Restore and improve urban infrastructure
• Advance health informatics
• Engineer better medicines
• Reverse-engineer the brain
• Prevent nuclear terror
• Secure cyberspace
• Enhance virtual reality
• Advance personalized learning
• Engineer the tools of scientific discovery
  

While I don't agree with the list in it's entirety (Does society really need virtual reality so that we can continue to hide from our actual reality?), I was impressed with the trend toward sustainability, both social and environmental. The list got me thinking -- are there 14 Grand Challenges for Windsor? If I had to compile a list, without the assistance of some of the most forward thinking and brilliant intellects of the modern world, what would they be?

Here are the 14 Challenges for Windsor, according to me:

• Re-build urban and regional mass transit
• Develop and adhere to sustainable land-use plans
• Incubate a knowledge-based economy
• Create a 'green' manufacturing industry
• Eat, build, buy and live locally
• Become a living showcase for academic innovation
• Reduce government bureaucracy while increasing accountability
• Implement aggressive environmental sustainability policies and procedures
• Re-invest in local arts and culture
• Build walkable neighbourhoods
• Interconnect neighbourhood districts with non-motorized transit options
• Transform downtown into a destination for all ages
• Charge 'true-cost' development fees to encourage intensification
• Provide sustainable, cost-effective utilities from generation to delivery

Implementing these changes locally and regionally would provide the environmental, economic and civic health we need to succeed. There will be challenges and opposition to the changes we need, but only by making these changes can we guarantee our long-term success. NIMBYs and nay-sayers will try and dissuade us, but we can build a city and a region that meets our wants and needs this, and future, generations.

What do you think of the 14 Challenges for Windsor? What challenges does Windsor face in the next 25, 50 or 100 years?