In response to COVID-19, how are challenges & opportunities for better city design different for mid-sized cities? Its an interesting question - some thoughts in this thread. Post any positive actions you've seen in mid-sized cities across the globe? http://ow.ly/cCoV50zBXRH  https://twitter.com/CanUrbanism/status/1258601618225762304

First, how do mid-sized cities have a "leg-up" in responding to the pandemic from a city building and design perspective. #urbandesign #urbanplanning #canadiancities #Winnipeg #Victoria #saskatoon #waterloo #ldnont #HamOnt #kingston

1. Mid-sized cities can be nimble - By virtue of their size, their political and administrative structures are generally smaller and decisions can be made more quickly with fewer "hoops". They can "bob and roll" with the punches.

2. They can communicate with the public very effectively - media often comes from 1 or 2 key sources that a majority of citizens are listening to. There is a lot less media noise to cut through, so important messages can be clearly and effectively delivered.

3. Their actions don't need to be monumental to have meaningful impact on the way that their citizens use the city. Eg. London, CAN closed a single bridge to cars , leading to its Downtown, thus relieving a difficult bottleneck for cyclists and pedestrians from the west.

4. Community can effectively mobilize to do great things. Because mid-sized cities often have a strong sense of community, there is the opportunity to pull together to address a challenge that their city is facing.

5. Mid-sized may be better positioned to address food security. The size of their population is more manageable, lower land values open more opportunities for urban agriculture and they are often surrounded by large agricultural areas in the Canadian context.

Now, what about those unique challenges that mid-sized cities have in responding to the pandemic from a city building and design perspective?

1. Their budgets are very limiting - already stretched before the pandemic, they will really struggle to make ends meet under the "new normal". They don't attract magnitude of provincial and federal funding that big cities do.

2. The first point is so important, I'll say it again a bit differently. Mid-sized cities often meager budgets make it difficult to implement large city-building projects or to introduce sweeping changes to the design of the city.

3. Mid-sized cities often have searing-hot politics as a primary focal point for the media (with little else to fill print space and airtime). This can make bold decisions more difficult. Change is always difficult, but change "in a spot-lit fishbowl" is exceedingly difficult.

4. Several mid-sized cities in Canada rely heavily on tourism - Victoria, Halifax and Quebec come to mind. With a large part of their economies relying on this industry, and a smaller economic pie to pick up the slack, these mid-sized cities will challenged.

5. Mid-sized cities often have very focused Downtown or Core areas. These are instrumental in defining their identity and sense of place. How will these urban areas fare in the post-COVID world? This will challenge all cities, but mid-sized cities perhaps more acutely.

6. Many mid-sized cities struggled mightily to deal with social issues such as mental health and drug addiction prior to the pandemic. This struggle will be exacerbated as the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis unfolds and mid-sized cities' assessment bases shrink.

One last thought. I believe that mid-sized cities in Canada are up for the challenge. Together w/necessary financial support from other levels of government they can be smart, nimble & determined to re-invent & re-design themselves to deliver long term health, safety & resiliency