Ep. 17: A very special episode

Metropolis: A Livable Cities Podcast

On the Jan. 10 episode: Urban Wildlife, Libraries and Youth Employment Get ready to feel all the feels, as the first Metropolis of the new year starts with a pair of major announcements. But dry your eyes, listeners. There’s still a show to get through. In the first segment, Luke raises our spirits by talking about urban wildlife, and our connection with animals in the big city, and also how animals are cute are stuff. Matt recounts the story of a time a squirrel broke into his house and ruined his whole summer, while Vass tells us about the time she threw a bunch of poison and rocks down a mysterious hole. In segment two, Matt wonders why libraries – despite being awesome – are always on the budget chopping block. We talk about the design of libraries and their role as community spaces now and into the future. We also remember reading challenges and the influential works of R.L. Stine. And in her last Metropolis segment ever, Vass tells us about her work chairing a Government of Canada panel on youth employment. What role do cities have to play in helping young people find work? And what does Starbucks have to do with any of this? Finally, Vass gives a thumbs down to the man who may have killed her shipping container dream, Matt gives various thumbs in various directions to Vancouver’s “salt-apocalypse” and Luke gives a thumbs up to an important judicial decision in New York.