Transit Camp aims to mobilize bus and LRT champions
By
Paula Kirman
A city councillor is hoping to create a sense of community for Edmonton's transit users by convening Transit Camp, a day-long exploration of the challenges and opportunities facing public transportation.
"If I asked you, 'Are you part of the public transit community as riders and operators and supporters?', where would you go?" said Coun. Michael Janz. "How would you find a sense of connection and community to build political power? This event is for you."
The March 18 event at the University of Alberta is meant to mobilize those who believe in public transit and want to make it better, the councillor for Ward papastew told Taproot.
"We need to educate, inform, and organize as riders and advocates for climate justice, social justice, and mobility justice," Janz said. "Public transit is the backbone of this work."
Janz would like to see the event lead to "a re-invigoration of community activism." Edmonton has had groups such as Free Transit Edmonton, or further back, TRUE (Transit Riders Union of Edmonton), but nothing as active and organized as TTC Riders in Toronto.
"As a left-wing person, we talk about the importance of strong public services," he said. "What could be more foundational for workers' rights and people's rights than transit? Like public health care or public education, if you want a public service to be better, you must be loud and proud and ready to fight for your rights."
Janz chose to call it Transit Camp out of "a bit of nostalgia for the early days of social media in Edmonton," when events such as ChangeCamp Edmonton and Reboot Alberta in 2009 brought creative people together to help solve problems.