Ryan Smolar, coordinator for Placemaking U.S. — part of an international network of placemaking groups, and affiliated with the leaders of the Project for Public Spaces — is on a tour of the Pacific Northwest, and is also briefly coming to Vancouver Island on the 4th and 5th of September.
About Ryan Smolar
Ryan Smolar is the coordinator for Placemaking U.S., which is part of an international network of placemaking groups affiliated with the leaders of the Project for Public Spaces. He’s currently on a tour of the Pacific Northwest, meeting with place activists in Victoria and Courtenay, and may have time to meet with folks in Nanaimo around noon on Friday the 5th.
Event Details
- Date: Friday, September 5th, 2025
- Time: 1:00pm - 2:30pm
- Location: VIRL Harbourfront, Downtown Nanaimo
- Cost: Free
About the Pacific Northwest Tour
Communities everywhere are preparing for climate, political, and economic shocks. The answers aren’t coming from the top down — they’re emerging locally, through reconnection, interdependence, and new pathways rooted in place.
Along the way, Ryan will be learning from:
🥦 Local food systems leaders
🏘️ Placemaking networks & village builders
🌱 Land-based learning initiatives
🏡 Regenerative developers & intentional communities
🛠️ Locally-sourced entrepreneurs
👐🏾 Trauma-informed communicators
🚴 Health & transportation advocates
About Placemaking U.S.
Placemaking U.S. is part of an international network of placemaking groups affiliated with the Project for Public Spaces. They focus on creating vibrant public spaces that bring people together and strengthen communities through local, place-based solutions.
About Project for Public Spaces
The Project for Public Spaces is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that build stronger communities. They are the central hub of the global placemaking movement, connecting people to ideas, resources, expertise, and partners they need to create change in their communities.