Spring is in the air! In our urban districts across the country, landscaping crews are preparing spring plantings and cleaning away the last remnants of the winter season. If your district is anything like mine, the extraordinary demand for post-pandemic spring break travel has kept the sidewalks and public spaces lively and vibrant since early March. Spring brings with it a sense of renewal and investment – and there’s no better time to invest in your professional development and commitment to the profession of urban place management.
Two fantastic opportunities facilitated by our amazing Canadian colleagues are quickly approaching. The Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA) will host its annual conference in beautiful Niagara Falls, ON, April 24-27, 2022. Registration is online through OBIAA’s website. Next month, Business Improvement Areas of British Columbia (BIABC) will partner with IDA to present the Pacific Northwest Regional Conference in Coquitlam, BC from May 1-4, 2022. Registration is online through BIABC’s website.
Our friends and partners at the California Downtown Association will join with IDA and the Downtown Reno Partnership to present the West Coast Urban District Forum in Reno, NV, from June 15-17, 2022. The program is packed with sessions on economic development, placemaking, and activations and includes inspiring insights into Reno’s unique approach to public safety, mental health and homelessness. Conference registration and hotel reservations are open now online. Be sure to take advantage of the early bird registration discount before May 4, 2022.
I hope you will consider joining all of us for IDA’s 68th Annual Conference & Marketplace in Vancouver, BC from September 21-23, 2022. The board and staff have been hard at work – planning conference sessions and tours, jurying awards submissions and crafting a phenomenal experience with help from our hosts and long-time supporters at Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association. I can hardly contain my excitement at the prospect of seeing so many of you together in one place again very soon. Registration will open in late May.
Finally, if you are ready to take the next step in deepening your connection to the profession and showcasing your hard-won expertise, please consider sitting for the next Leadership in Place Management certification exam. Applications for the November 2022 exam period will open in June. In the meantime, browse the IDA website to learn more about eligibility requirements, the application process and how to prepare for the exam.