Imagine Kalamazoo Reads: Happy City

Next date: Tuesday, December 10, 2024 | 06:30 PM to 08:00 PM

Join us for the first-ever Imagine Kalamazoo Reads! IK Reads is a community book read and discussion. Book clubs, community groups, and residents from all around the city can come together to read common material, engage with new ideas, and have meaningful conversations about what’s happening in Kalamazoo.

Imagine Kalamazoo Reads is a part of Imagine Kalamazoo 2035 (IK2035): the process of creating and implementing a Master Plan for Kalamazoo, and envisioning a more prosperous future for our city. IK2035 aims to engage an even greater number of our fellow residents, businesses, and visitors than we did eight years ago, with IK2025. These voices will again shape the City’s Strategic Plan and Master Plan documents that lay out the City’s work plan for the next ten years. One new path for these voices is with Imagine Kalamazoo Reads!

The inaugural IK Reads book is Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design by Charles Montgomery. Happy City poses an interesting and fundamental question: how do our lives in the city – who we see, where we live, and how we get places – shape our sense of happiness?. We think that Happy City is a great place to begin our IK2035 journey, and a great tool to help reimagine what Kalamazoo can be.

  Where To Get the Book  

The book Happy City is available for purchase at a discounted price at This is a Bookstore, both in person and online (use discount code KALAMAZOO).You can also read an online version of the book, or get it from the Kalamazoo Public Library as as an eBook or audio book via Hoopla. You can  watch the author's TED Talk online, too.

  Attend a Public IK Reads Event  

City staff are hosting community events to discuss Happy City and how it can help guide us on our Imagine Kalamazoo 2035 journey. We'd love to meet you at one of these book discussions! Just read the book, RSVP, and join us:

Join us for a fun group activity and Happy City discussion at Washington Square Library.
Wednesday, November 20
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Washington Square Library, 1244 Portage St
RSVP NOW

 

Join the Kalamazoo Public Library: Alma Powell branch and the City of Kalamazoo for a Happy City discussion at the Northside Association for Community Development (NACD).
Tuesday, December 10
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Northside Association for Community Development, 612 N. Park St
RSVP NOW

  Read with Friends, Family or a Book Club  

If you can't make one of our events or just prefer to read it with a book club or group of family, friends, or neighbors, that's great too! Read the book together and then meet to discuss it in a shared space. You can even use the Happy City Toolkit(PDF, 455KB) to guide for your discussion. If you're willing to share the results, we’d love to hear from you! There are a few ways to do this:

• Complete a brief online form
• Send an email to hello@kalamazoocity.org with your responses typed or attach a scan of any written notes.
• Return the paper copy by mail or in person: to Community Planning & Economic Development, 245 North Rose Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49008 during business hours.

Planning to Read? Let Us Know!

Let us know if you or your group are planning on reading/watching, and if you would like any additional resources. You can check in by emailing our IK Reads coordinator Emerson at wesselhoffe@kalamazoocity.org. Our team would be happy to provide further information, instruction, and even to attend or help guide the meeting if that's helpful!

 

When

Location

See event description for locations, Kalamazoo