Synapcity’s 100in1day Ottawa

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For the first time ever, Ottawans shared their vision for a better city through 100 urban activations on Saturday, June 3, 2017 during 100In1Day. The city-wide festival was a fun, inclusive way to focus on the role of people and public spaces, demonstrating how small citizen-led changes can make big improvements to cities. This year, OTTAWA was joined by Edmonton, London and Hamilton as part of the global citizen engagement event. The activities were free to attend or participate.

On Saturday, Ottawa neighbourhoods came alive with more than 100 interactive events created and led by residents, community groups, businesses and local organizations. The city-wide activities showcased how just one action, from generating community art projects, taking care of local habitats, and creating accessible fun ways to connect with neighbours, can sow seeds for a more resilient city.

June 3 was a true Ottawa love-in where everyone was encouraged to participate and support the people hosting events in their community. Play, learn, explore, dance, laugh, meet, skip, restore, walk, experiment, colour, cook, eat, dream, think …!

Here are a just a few highlights for 100in1day:

• Rhythm Jumpers Double Dutch Party invited people of all ages to come and skip together – a reminder of the simple joys of childhood games. Awesome music and tons of ropes provided. With Ping Pong Rec Day you could celebrate Ottawa’s brand new first and only outdoor ping pong table at the Britannia Woods Community House.
• Sanad Collective offered an evening potluck at the Rhoda Mosque garden to celebrate Ramadan with Iftar Under The Stars – an invitation to learn and share. Langar for Hunger is spreading the principle of equality and caring communities inspired by the Sikh faith’s practice of free kitchens; they offered free food and information.
• Connecting with Nearby Nature promoted the importance of nature in improving children’s education. The Mud Lake Clean Up wants to ensure the continues health of this unique urban landscape and sanctuary for many species, including turtles.  
• Paint Therapy and Walk and Talk both raised awareness of mental illness and the importance of nature and art therapy in communities.
• Science and play were also on the scene with Robot Missions Field Test. They invited participants to use their 3D printed robots to collect tiny and harmful trash from the shorelines. And Biohacker Space activated cool science demos in its community lab.

Everyone has a role to play in making our communities happier and healthier, says Manjit Basi, Executive Director of Synapcity. "The 100in1day event catalyzes people's ideas and passion to make something happen. It was an opportunity for 100's of people to participate and experiment with social change, illustrating how one day can spark initiatives that can transform and benefit an entire city."