Troy D. Glover

Walkable Neighborhoods Help Adults Socialize, Increase Community Adults who live in walkable neighborhoods are more likely to socialize and have a stronger sense of community, report researchers at the UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human...

Adults who live in walkable neighborhoods are more likely to interact with their neighbours and have a stronger sense of community than people who live in car-dependent communities today.ucsd.edu/story/walkab...

Fight for a society that makes real connection easier than the fake kind thehumanist.com/commentary/t...

Opinion | Boy Crisis of 2025, Meet the ‘Boy Problem’ of the 1900s

Too many boys and young men are unwoven from the fabric of our society. This is dangerous for them and for everyone else. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/15/o...

The Great American Fitness Boom Pilates is surging. Gyms are packed. Americans are working out more than ever. A graph-by-graph guide to the fitness revolution sweeping the country

Gen Z is health-maxing in a way historically unique, at the same time that their withdrawal from physical social connection is similarly without precedent. www.derekthompson.org/p/the-great-...

MIT finds people walking faster and lingering less in public space Pedestrians are walking 15 per cent faster and stopping to linger 14 per cent less than they used to, according to a study from MIT's Senseable City Lab that hopes to guide the design of public spaces...

Evidence of a growing perception of city streets as corridors for movement rather than spaces for social interaction. Sad. www.dezeen.com/2025/07/31/w...

Designing a Connected Life

Join the movement and become a certified Connnection Builder member.chamberofconnection.org/designing-a-...

Trying to keep your brain young? A big new study finds these lifestyle changes help A study of more than 2,100 people ages 60 to 79 found that an intensive two-year program of mental and physical activities, along with a heart-healthy diet, improved memory and thinking.

Interesting that lifestyle changes such as physical activity and brain exercises are championed as ways to enhance brain health, yet the final line of the article says “socializing is one of the best ways to keep your brain young.” Get social, folks!

www.npr.org/2025/07/28/n...

Globe editorial: The dangers of isolation in a sweltering city In a heat wave, those cut off from community connections are far more likely to die

Building and bolstering multiuse social infrastructure offers a quicker and more affordable route to climate resiliency www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/edit...

With social prescribing, hanging out, movement and arts are doctor's order Doctors are writing "social prescriptions" to get people engaged with nature, art, movement and volunteering. Research shows it can help with mental health, chronic disease and dementia.

Doctors give 'social prescriptions' for fitness, arts and socializing

www.npr.org/2025/07/14/n...

The Case of the Sunshine Coast Bus Stop Chairs | The Tyee Take a seat! Up here, guerrilla infrastructure abounds. A Tyee photo essay.

Taking matters into their own hands: guerrilla infrastructure—such a cool term! thetyee.ca/Culture/2025...

The Happiest Cities in the World are Also the Most Bicycle Friendly The 2025 Happy City Index is in and the world's happiest cities are also some of the best places to ride a bike.

I learned this on my recent trip to Helsinki. The happiest cities are the most bike-friendly momentummag.com/the-happiest...

Canada’s survival depends not just on international trade, but also on social infrastructure It's time to invest in social prescribing, and build stronger communities that can weather the winds of global change.

#SocialPrescribing

www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/0...

Mark Zuckerberg Thinks You Don't Have Enough Friends and His Chatbots Are the Answer The CEO of Meta says "the average American has fewer than three friends, fewer than three people they would consider friends. And the average person has demand for meaningfully more.”

Though Zuckerberg’s remarks should always be scrutinized, I am curious what role, if any, parasocial relationships with AI will have in addressing (or complicating) social isolation and loneliness. www.404media.co/mark-zuckerb...

Social life, not density, makes city dwellers happy Culdesac in Tempe, Arizona, has people-friendly courtyards and a walkable design, which leads to success. The formula is explained in Happy City.

People are attracted to sustainable design and lifestyle, which draws them in. But they probably stay for the social interaction. www.cnu.org/publicsquare...

The Connection Opportunity More in Common’s two-year study of 6,000+ Americans reveals key insights into Americans’ interest in connection across lines of difference as well as the barriers that stand in the way.

The Connection Opportunity
Insights for Bringing Americans Together Across Difference by @moreincommonus.bsky.social moreincommonus.com/publication/...

Take two Van Goghs daily: the growing popularity of museum prescriptions Research backs schemes that encourage doctors to prescribe time in cultural institutions to boost mental health and reduce loneliness

Doctors prescribe time in cultural institutions to boost mental health and reduce loneliness www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...

Image of Prof Jeffrey D. Sachs, Editor of the World Happiness Report, alongside the quote: “Happiness is rooted in trust, kindness, and social connection. It is up to us to translate this vital truth into positive action.”

💥 The research is clear: now it’s up to all of us to do something about it.

Opinion: What nationalism gets wrong about belonging Donald Trump’s anti-globalism aims at a public that feels cynical about big institutions and starved of authentic community. Abandoning the world won’t fill that void

We may live in everyday contact with our immediate neighbours, but we thrive when we live in meaningful concentric circles of belonging that extend outward to all of humanity. www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

Yes, ball games: drive to take down signs warning against play begins in London Charity says thousands of signs on capital’s estates deter children from being active, and is covering some of them up

Covering up signs that deter children from being active www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

The Narrowing of Civic Life

There are too few opportunities to work together for broadly shared values and interests prospect.org/special-repo...

Tired of scrolling? This Calgary club is helping people reconnect in real life Feeling consumed by screens, Nina Hill and two friends started the Offline Wellness Club to get active and connect without technology

Tired of scrolling? This Calgary club is helping people reconnect in real life www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/gl...

Don’t just do something; sit there www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/edit...

Beyond Bob By granting Robert Putnam intellectual hegemony on all things community in America, we limit our understanding of the past and constrain our visions of what’s possible for the future

The intellectual hegemony of
Robert Putnam on all things community in America connectivetissue.substack.com/p/beyond-bob

New magazine-like publication called Let’s Talk About Placemaking from @canurb.bsky.social includes 100+ placemaking projects from practitioners across Canada placemakingcommunity.ca/lets-talk-ab...

AARP GUIDES : Winterplacemaking Guide - 8 80 Cities AARP GUIDES : Winterplacemaking Guide - 8 80 Cities

A step by step guide of good practices for creative and inclusive Winter Placemaking from winter communities of all sizes www.880cities.org/portfolio_pa...

Rx for Social Connection - The Bentway What role can public space design and programming play in fostering connection and combating loneliness? The report Rx For Social Connection: Public space

Our parks, squares, sidewalks, and trails as places for leisure and recreation represent vital parts of our health ecosystem. Strong communities, and the social connections we all need, are built in public space. thebentway.ca/publication/...

Public Health Guidelines for Social Connection: Building Healthier Lives and Communities | Social Connection Guidelines Explore evidence-based guidelines to enhance social connections, improve mental health, and foster community well-being. Learn how to connect better today.

Designing environments for connection and investing in social events, activities, and programs is critical for fostering robust social interactions that are integral to community health and individual wellbeing www.socialconnectionguidelines.org/en/

Healing Loneliness: 6 Ways to Design for Social Connection and Community | The Centre for Conscious Design This story first appeared on Psychology today.  In a time of hyper-connection and communication, recent surveys find that approximately half of U.S. adults are experiencing loneliness and lacking conn...

Where we live, work, play, and learn influences how connected we are as a society theccd.org/blog-post/he...

How to Design Spaces for Human Connection By embracing human-centric design, intentional spaces become platforms for community engagement and social integration and combat loneliness.

The built environment has a role in combating social isolation and loneliness and in fostering connection www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/desi...

Social connection is crucial to well-being: New public health guidelines aim to build healthier lives and communities New public health guidelines offer research-backed steps for individuals and communities to strengthen social bonds, combat loneliness and build healthier lives.

Social connection is crucial to well-being: New public health guidelines aim to build healthier lives and communities theconversation.com/social-conne...