Instigating a city-wide conversation.

100 Ways was a sign-based installation that instigated a community-wide conversation in London, Canada. Spanning multiple topics of public interest, the ideas presented were generated from an open public call that were collected and distilled down to a select hundred to provided an overview of all received submissions.

Posters were installed in the public realm to offer any citizens who passed by some thoughts on how their city might be improved upon. Citizens were invited to engage with one another, and with the project coordinator, in conversations surrounding the topics which most resonated with them.

“Get out of the house and talk to your neighbours for once.” — #32

Like many early works which Kevin produced, this project was inspired by the Windsor, Ontario based, Broken City Lab. Attracting local media attention, 100 Ways is often spoken of as the genesis of Good City’s focus on place-based efforts.

While 100 Ways focused on London, Canada, the messages it conveyed are appropriate for many mid-sized North American cities.

100 Ways to Improve London, Ontario

1. stop complaining about what is wrong with London
2. less mincing, more prancing
3. better define what the term transportation means
4. promote the spirit of adventure in every citizen
5. educate kids: Civics 101
6. actually use Wonderland Gardens for something useful
7. stop caring whether to use #LDN, #LDNONT or #YXU, it does not matter
8. bike lanes, bike lanes, bike lanes
9. fire Anne Marie
10. listen to the youth of the city, they are the future
11. plant more trees of the non-metal variety
12. build an Ikea. screw revitalizing downtown; Ikea is the ticket
13. start living up to the name “The Forest City”
14. hug a stranger each and every day, two if you feel like it
15. embrace change, it isn’t something that should be feared
16. welcome students into the community with open arms
17. kick urban sprawl to the curb, because that’s where it belongs
18. get rid of all cars, invest in hover-boards ala. Back to the Future 2
19. ask questions each and every day
20. question the competency of our “leadership”
21. be willing to fail before you can succeed
22. write your city councilor, provincial MP, federal MP and mother. say hi!
23. plow Piccadilly St. so people can get to work easier and be more productive
24. move in the left direction instead of the right, because we need new direction
25. build a glass dome over Dundas Street (oh dear god)
26. start giving City initiatives sexy names like ________
27. stop pretending we don’t see each other when walking down the street
28. actually stay committed to something when we say we will
29. hire a magician to play every city function; everyone loves magic
30. make government transparent like the pants of UWO students (stretchy too)
31. create co-working spaces because people should interact
32. get out of the house and talk to your neighbours for once
33. stop comparing London to Toronto
34. elect someone to municipal council who was born in the past 40 years
35. start building pedestrian bridges so people can get around easier
36. start comparing London to Windsor (sorry Windsor)
37. never ever build another Jet d’Eau
38. don’t take NO for an answer
39. start discussions, someone will act on them
40. don’t build bridges just because some people don’t know how to cross the railroad
41. stop eliminating green spaces in the name of growth
42. start to understand what sustainable development actually means
43. let nature take it’s course, it has never ever let us down before
44. Stop yelling at bicycles on the road; its where they belong
45. tear down existing silos and don’t build more; collaboration is key
46. throw out the status quo, never be satisfied with “just good enough”
47. stop surfing the net, go meet real people, say hi, make a difference
48. stop bitching, stand up and do something for once
49. stop assuming that the given answer is the best answer to any problem
50. start enforcing London Street Bylaw 2.12
51. get rid of in-boulevard bicycle paths, they aren’t helping anything
52. start enforcing Highway Traffic Act 148(4)
53. understand that without students the city would be dead
54. build a new fresh industry, manufacturing is dead, stop trying to save it
55. build community capacity
56. fewer oyster parties more meetups, greater things will get accomplished
57. ask people what they think and use their input instead of throwing it in the garbage
58. vote
59. invest time, talent, effort, and resources, the money will follow
60. cherish heritage buildings, they are our best links to past lives
61. encourage people outside your comfort zone to contribute
62. move out of London if you don’t believe in the city’s potential
63. keep your mouth shut unless you are prepared to take some type of action
64. be more like Roy
65. shovel your sidewalk
66. bring Balloon Fest back
67. where did all the free downtown concerts go?
68. build a moat or an expressway, whichever seems more appropriate
69. make downtown parking free
70. have a garbage schedule which makes sense
71. paint police cars the colours of the rainbow
72. promote the city with sexy ads
73. make more jobs appear (perhaps out of thin air)
74. let citizens take turns playing “mayor”
75. have a vision which reflects today’s residents, not those of 30 years ago
76. stop functioning like the 1980’s, this is 2010
77. add “none of the above” to municipal voting ballots
78. update London.ca so people can actually find information on it
79. dismantle silos within the municipal government
80. create an office/officer focused on preventing further “brain drain”
81. close Dundas St and make it a pedestrian street
82. make it mandatory for those who run the LTC to take the bus
83. update CityMap to bring it into the 21st century
84. make councilor positions a mandatory full-time job
85. understand that culture is the future of the city
86. smile
87. do, or do not. There is no try
88. encourage and plant boulevard gardens
89. provide free and open wifi at all municipal operated locations
90. understand that process is more important than outcome
91. don’t enter municipal awards competitions
92. pay municipal employees in smarties; it will make them smile
93. dance uncontrollably in the streets, others will join in
94. build a performing arts centre to showcase LOCAL artists
95. tear down Springbank Damn; it does more harm than good
96. stop building ugly, square, grey apartment buildings
97. bring back the mini-golf in Masonville Mall
98. stop calling it SOHO; come up with something original
99. insert your profound statement here ->__________
100. think of London like your mom; treat it with love, respect and compassion