Cascadia: Zukunftswerkstatt oder verlorenes Paradies? Stadtentwicklung und grenzüberschreitende Zusammenarbeit im pazifischen Nordwesten

OTT, Thomas (2001): Cascadia: Zukunftswerkstatt oder verlorenes Paradies? Stadtentwicklung und grenzüberschreitende Zusammenarbeit im pazifischen Nordwesten. Geographische Rundschau 53 (1), 4-11

Kurzfassung

Due to their scenic natural location, economic prosperity, ethnic variety, as weil as a planning policy that aims for sustainability and quality of life, the ci­ties of Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver may serve as role models for future ur­ban development trends. However, the region is under threat by a rising num­ber of immigrants, both from overseas as weil as from other states or provinces. This process in turn fosters the well­known problems of urban sprawl, rising real estate prices, and increasing social tensions. Under the heading „Cascadia“ politicians, academics, business people, planners, and not the least a broad range of initiatives and NGOs discuss the fu­ture of the region. Cascadia is based on three ideas: in economic terms it deals with the increasing interconnections of the metropolitan areas along lnterstate 5 („Mainstreet Cascadia“); ecological goal is the preservation of a unique biome of geology, climate, vegetation, and wild­life („Raincoast“); the social ideal is a peaceful and fair coexistence of different cultures („Multiculturalism“).

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