Active Towns

John Simmerman

Conversations about Creating a Culture of Activity: Profiling the people, places, programs, and policies that help to promote a culture of activity within our communities.

  1. Street Design is the Secret to Great Cities & Towns w/ Victor Dover

    hace 19 h

    Street Design is the Secret to Great Cities & Towns w/ Victor Dover

    In this episode, we reconnect with Victor Dover, co-author of Street Design: The Secret to Great Cities and Towns, Second Edition, for a deep dive into precisely why streets matter so much in shaping our daily lives, for better and for worse, and how, by learning from the world’s best streets, we can transform our dysfunctional and dangerous cityscapes into more livable environments Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 The Street Design website... Use the discount code ARC20 on the Wiley site or...👉 Buy the book on the Active Towns Bookshop site or via Amazon here👉 Dover, Kohl, & Partners Town Planning website👉 John Massengale's website👉 The Art of the New Urbanism, Volumes 1 and 2, more information is available (All royalties go to the CNU nonprofit) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    1 h 1 min
  2. Dangerous by Design w/ Beth Osborne, President & CEO of Smart Growth America

    19 jun

    Dangerous by Design w/ Beth Osborne, President & CEO of Smart Growth America

    LIVESTREAM RECORDING:  Beth Osborne, President & CEO of Smart Growth America, joined me for an in-depth discussion about the newly released Dangerous by Design 2026 Report. 👉 Preview the Report here If you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Become an Active Towns Member on YouTube for exclusive member-only content and Livestreams2. Join the Active Towns Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month3. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"4. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with cities Credits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic Sound Resources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete list For more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-Newsletter Background:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 35 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility. Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities." The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them. Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful. Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2026 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    1 h 17 min
  3. Close Encounters Documentary w/ Clarence Eckerson Jr.

    13 jun

    Close Encounters Documentary w/ Clarence Eckerson Jr.

    In this episode, Clarence Eckerson, Jr., shares some behind-the-scenes insights into the making of his new documentary profiling the amazing 34th Avenue Open Streets installation, now viewed as a permanent linear park, formally named Paseo Park by the city. This version was recorded live and then edited. Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 Streetfilms website👉 Sara Lind Open Plans episode👉 Bruce Appleyard episode👉 My most recent episode with Cathy Tuttle👉 My episode with Lenore Skenazy👉 My Paris School Streets video If you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Become an Active Towns Member on YouTube for exclusive member-only content and Livestreams2. Join the Active Towns Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month3. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"4. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with cities Credits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic Sound Resources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete list For more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-Newsletter Background:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 35 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility. Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities." The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them. Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful. Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2026 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    1 h 14 min
  4. The Goal is Free Range Kids w/ Prof Sara FL Kirk

    5 jun

    The Goal is Free Range Kids w/ Prof Sara FL Kirk

    In this episode, I connect with Professor Sara FL Kirk, with Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for an in-depth discussion about her research centered on environments that promote healthy, active living, what prompted her to become a safer streets activist, hint: it's the story as we heard from Tom Flood with the Urban Truth Collective, and some of her favorite initiatives she's been involved with there in Halifax. Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 Urban Truth Collective episode👉 Grant Ennis Dark PR episode👉 Tim Gill and Alice Ferguson Free Range Childhood episode👉 Lenore Skenazy Free Range Kids - Let Grow episode👉 Bruce Appleyard episode👉 Peter Norton playlist👉 Ian Walker and Marco Te Brömmelstroet motonormativity episode👉 Carter Lavin’s You Have to Fight episode👉 Academia and Research playlist👉 Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do and What It Says About Us by Tom Vanderbilt via my Bookshop or from Amazon  👉 Tristin Cleveland episode👉 Kidical Mass video from Austin👉 My recent Bike Streets episode👉 Bike Streets website👉 Wes Marshall's recent Livestream👉 Uplift Partnership website👉 Navahine Settlement episode👉 Growing Up Boulder Mara Mintzer episode If you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Become an Active Towns Member on YouTube for exclusive member-only content and Livestreams2. Join the Active Towns Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month3. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"4. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with cities Credits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic Sound Resources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete list For more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-Newsletter Background:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 35 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility. Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities." The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them. Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful. Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2026 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    1 h 18 min
  5. Opening Up about Open Plans with Sara Lind

    29 may

    Opening Up about Open Plans with Sara Lind

    New York City is on the cutting edge of many amazing "Streets Are For People" initiatives, and Open Plans is increasingly front and center in this movement with campaigns such as School Streets, Low Traffic Neighborhoods (LTNs), Public Space Management, Intersection Daylighting, and many more. In this episode, I connect with Sara Lind, Co-Executive Director of Open Plans, to discuss the projects they are working on and their universal applicability to car-centric cities worldwide. Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 Open Plans website👉 Streetsblog NYC👉 Streetfilms on YouTube 👉 Streetfilms website👉 My Low Traffic Neighborhood (LTN) videos👉 My Donald Shoup playlist👉 My first episode with Donald Shoup (audio-only)👉 Streetfilms Ghent School Street👉 My Short Paris School Street Video 👉 No Garbage Day Not Just Bikes Video👉 The Bruntlett’s Women Changing Cities Episode  If you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Become an Active Towns Member on YouTube for exclusive member-only content and Livestreams2. Join the Active Towns Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month3. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"4. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with cities Credits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic Sound Resources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete list For more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-Newsletter Background:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 35 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility. Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities." The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them. Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful. Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2026 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    1 h 2 min
  6. Peace and Conflict Resolution meets Car Supremacy w/ Ashton Rohmer

    22 may

    Peace and Conflict Resolution meets Car Supremacy w/ Ashton Rohmer

    In this episode, I connect with Ashton Rohmer, a doctoral candidate in Peace and Conflict Resolution studies, who is examining Car Supremacy and our societal acceptance of vehicular violence through her research on the ideology of car supremacy and on reimagining streets as sites of care and community. She challenges us to imagine more peaceful streets for everyone. Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 "Car supremacy: Deconstructing the ideology driving our modal hierarchy" paper👉 Ashton's website to follow along with her journey👉 Brompton Bicycles👉 Buy Your Brain on Nature from my Bookshop or via Amazon👉 Buy Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam from my Bookshop or via Amazon👉 Buy Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv from my Bookshop or via Amazon👉 Buy Confessions of a Recovering Engineer by Charles Marohn from my Bookshop or via Amazon👉 Buy Killed by A Traffic Engineer by Prof. Wes Marshall from my Bookshop or via Amazon 👉 Watch my recent Livestream with Wes Marshall👉 Buy Traffic - Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us) by Tom Vanderbilt from my Bookshop or via Amazon 👉 Watch a short clip from Disney's Motor Mania👉 My Peter Norton playlist If you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Become an Active Towns Member on YouTube for exclusive member-only content and Livestreams2. Join the Active Towns Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month3. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"4. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with cities Credits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic Sound Resources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete list For more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-Newsletter Background:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 35 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility. Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities." The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them. Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful. Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2026 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    1 h 14 min
  7. Sidewalk Nation with Prof. Michael Pollack

    13 may

    Sidewalk Nation with Prof. Michael Pollack

    In this episode, I connect with Professor Michael Pollack for a deep dive into his fabulous new book Sidewalk Nation: The Life and Law of America’s Most Overlooked Resource. Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 Buy the book through the Active Towns Bookshop or via Amazon here If you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Become an Active Towns Member on YouTube for exclusive member-only content and Livestreams2. Join the Active Towns Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month3. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"4. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with cities Credits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic Sound Resources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete list For more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-Newsletter Background:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 35 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility. Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities." The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them. Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful. Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2026 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    1 h 22 min
  8. Dutch Cycling in China 2.0 with Chris Bruntlett

    8 may

    Dutch Cycling in China 2.0 with Chris Bruntlett

    In this episode, I welcome back my good friend and colleague, Chris Bruntlett, International Relations Manager with the Dutch Cycling Embassy, for a follow-up discussion about the resurgence of everyday cycling culture and cycling infrastructure as an official policy in a variety of cities across China. Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):👉 Dutch Cycling Embassy website👉 Chris & Melissa Bruntlett - Modacity website👉 Dutch Cycling and China Part One👉 Chris in a Cameo Leipzig Velo City Bike Parade👉 Women Changing Cities episode with Melissa & Chris If you are a fan of the Active Towns Podcast, please consider supporting the effort as an Active Towns Ambassador in the following ways:1. Become an Active Towns Member on YouTube for exclusive member-only content and Livestreams2. Join the Active Towns Patreon community. Contributions start at just $3 per month3. If you enjoyed this episode, you can also "leave a tip" through "Buy Me a Coffee"4. Make a donation to my non-profit, Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc., to help support my pro bono work with cities Credits:- Video and audio production by John Simmerman- Music via Epidemic Sound Resources used during the production of this video:- My recording platform is Ecamm Live- Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite- Equipment: Contact me for a complete list For more information about the Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit our links below:- Active Towns Website- Active Towns on Bluesky- Weekly Update e-Newsletter Background:Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 35 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility. Since 2010,  I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities." The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them. Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful. Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2026 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

    1 h 6 min
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Información

Conversations about Creating a Culture of Activity: Profiling the people, places, programs, and policies that help to promote a culture of activity within our communities.

Ficha técnica

  • Creado por
    John Simmerman
  • Años en activo
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodios
    349
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Derechos de autor
    © 2026 John Simmerman
  • Sitio web del podcast
    Active Towns

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