Update 25 January 2005: The conference organizer has modified the topics of the e-conference and the agenda for the live confernece. I have updated the information here accordingly.
The organizer of a conference on "planning for a dog-friendly community" posted an announcement as a comment to a somerville dog blog entry. I'm reposting it today for current readers...
The Ithaca Conference: Planning for a Dog-Friendly CommunityPosted by Canis Major at January 5, 2006 8:29 AM in the following categories: United States
April 22, 2006 Ithaca4Dogs, a project of Bridges-PRTD, announces a national conference on planning for dog-friendly communities. This two-part event, including a one-month online e-conference and a one-day in-person conference, is intended for community planners, activists, tourism consultants, and entrepreneurs in pet and related sectors.
- e-Conference: February 15-March 15
Register by joining the Google Group IthacaConference
- Feb. 15 - Feb. 21: Founding and Managing Dog Parks&3151;tales from the trenches. Obstacles, pitfalls, opportunities, and success stories.
- Feb. 21 - Feb. 27: Defining the "dog-friendly community"
- Feb. 28 - Mar. 6: Dog-Based Tourism
- Mar. 7 - Mar. 13: Organizing on the national and international level
- Mar. 14 - March 15: Must love dogs (How can we make room for dogs in our personal lives?)
- Conference: April 22, 2006
- Venue: Holiday Inn, 222 S. Cayuga Street, downtown Ithaca, NY. Ithaca is located in the scenic Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York. For more information consult VisitIthaca.com
- Conference Agenda
- Friday, April 21: Members of the local organizing committee, national steering committee, and other early arrivals could meet at homes of local organizers. Visits to Tompkins County SPCA, Cornell, dog park. Dinner at a local restaurant.
- Saturday, April 22:
- 9-9:20 Welcome remarks
- 9:20-10 Introductions
- 10 - 11:30 Workshops: defining dog-friendliness
- 11:30 - 1 pm Lunch
- 1-1:30 Keynote
- 1:30-5:30 Workshops: organization and strategy
- 4:30-6 Dog park break
- 6-7:30 Dinner (pre-paid buffet at conference venue)
- 7:30-9:30 Resolutions, plans for the future
- 9:30-11 Farewell party
- Sunday, April 23: Informal tours of our spectacular parks? Wine trail? Picnic at the dog park?
- Costs: conference fee is $30, and includes buffet dinner and open-bar farewell party. A block of rooms has been reserved at Holiday Inn, but accommodations are not included in the registration fee and conference participants are free to stay where they want.
- Results: selected proceedings will be published in CD-ROM form, possibly also a book.
- Registration: An online registration page will be posted soon. Meanwhile, prospective presenters and participants should email Seth Sicroff at conference@ithaca4dogs.com.
Suggestions and collaboration are welcome.