Join Barre's quarterly non-fiction book group to learn about interesting new ideas, hack challenging problems, and discover ways to build better communities. This month, we'll be reading a book by Charles Montgomery called Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design.
Participants can register to obtain a Zoom meeting link and book copy at https://forms.gle/zS9Qwe59UkUxrLnM9 .
A year of pandemic has many of us looking forward to a return to civic life, celebration and happy gatherings as folks get vaccinated and immunity takes root. Happy City is all about how a compact and convenient city, like Barre, can make happier people. This books draws on science and common sense to show how places can be designed for happiness.
Not all communities are designed alike, and one thing that really stands out to me about Barre is the number of front porches: places where people can talk to neighbors, play a guitar, park a bike, and keep an eye on kids playing out front. That's something really unique and special about our brave little city.
Neighborly people remain in and choose Barre, I think, because it's a place where we can connect with community, it's convenient, and it has history and character in traditional neighborhoods. It's the type of place where you can bump into friends while on a bike ride, cleaning up the yard, walking the dog, or planting a tree. Barre offers something very different than car-only sprawl ... and that's something worth honoring. As I read this book, I'll be thinking about Barre City's strengths and how we can continue to build a place that makes people happy.
I hope you'll join the group and join a movement of people working for a happier Barre.
Past Reads:
- Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuilt America Prosperity by Charles Marohn
- Walkable City Rules: 101 Steps to Making Better Places by Jeff Speck
Nov 20, 2024, 6 to 8 PM
Intermediate Old-Time Fiddle ClassNov 20, 2024, 6:30 to 7:45 PM
Vermont Tara DanceNov 24, 2024, 1 to 3 PM