By Steven Peck, GRP, Honorary ASLA, Founder and President Green Roofs for Healthy Cities

All Photos Courtesy of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities

New York is a very special place!  The character of its many citizens, its diversity, wealth, delicious food, and sheer size provide Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) with unique opportunities to provide you with an exceptional 13th Annual CitiesAlive Conference experience this October 5-8.  Here are five ways we have worked with the good people of New York to bring you an awesome CitiesAlive 2015 experience this fall, which you can tailor to your own needs and desires – just don’t wait too long because space is limited:

1. Multiple Tours.  We have set aside Wednesday afternoon after the Awards of Excellence Luncheon, and all day Thursday to bring you a wide variety of tour experiences.  From Beekeeping at Brooklyn Grange and Integrated Water Management at Queen’s Botanical Gardens to Regis High School and the enormous Jacob Javits Convention Center, there are lots to choose from.  We’ve paired a number of presentations in the program with tours which follow…  Take in some of the amazing green infrastructure projects we have lined up for you, and cap it off Thursday evening with a free amble along the High Line.

2. Harbor Cruise.  The Local Host Committee has been fund raising to help offset the cost of dinner and drinks on board the Zephyr Yacht on Tuesday night, with support from New York Green Roofs, Permaloc, and Metro Green Visions.  When the Trade Show ends Tuesday night, we’ll walk or taxi down to the historic Brooklyn Pier, board a water taxi across the East Hudson, and then board the Zephyr for a two-hour networking cruise of New York Harbor.  You can choose to stay in Manhattan or return via the Water Taxi to Brooklyn at the end of the cruise.  Tickets for this outstanding event are limited.

3. Program.  Technical Programming this year contains lots of leading edge work on design, research, and policy, much of it focused on the contribution being made by New Yorkers.  We have scientific studies on climate change, water purification and green infrastructure, irrigation system design for green walls, and more.  After five years of development, we are also launching the full two-day training on Net Zero Water for Buildings and Sites on Sunday and Monday, October 4 and 5.

4. Hotel.  The Marriott New York by the Brooklyn Bridge is a fantastic conference hotel, recently having completed renovations which is perfectly situated for the conference delegates.  We’ve negotiated a great rate of $299 for a deluxe suite for conference delegates.  The room rate is only good until mid September so book now at: citiesalive.org/index.php/venue/hotel (718-226-7000).  The conference hotel is at the center of everything we are doing, and a short subway ride into Manhattan.

5. Farm Dinner.  The Closing Dinner on Wednesday October 5th will be an outstanding event given that we are having it, courtesy of Rooflite, on the Brooklyn Grange Roof Farm, which boasts fresh food directly from the roof on the menu and awesome views of the New York skyline.  Tickets are also very limited so don’t be disappointed and register early.

CitiesAlive New York is designed to allow you to chose what you would like to do, just don’t wait to long to register because space is limited!  We look forward to seeing you in the Big Apple on October 5-8, 2015.  Have a great finish to your summer!

Sincerely,

Steven Peck

Steven Peck, GRP, Honorary ASLA
Founder and President
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
Founder, Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition
Co-Founder, World Green Infrastructure Network
Tel: 416-971-4494 ext. 233
www.greenroofs.org