Academics, professionals and community members increasingly acknowledge that multiple perspectives enrich planning outcomes. Furthermore, it's acknowledged that the engagement process itself can create imaginative forums and spaces to nurture understanding and empathy for ourselves and for our environments. Reflecting on the wide continuum of participatory practice, the authors of Creative Community Planning discuss the work of planning theorists, researchers and practitioners engaging a diversity of people living in ever changing communities. The authors discuss how engagement practices are enhanced using practices such as visioning and participatory research processes, poetry, theatre, film, websites and exercises to access the creative ideas of all ages, including children and young people.

The style and methods in this book offer multiple points for both practice and dialogue, ideal for academics, practitioners, students and instructors in all forms of planning, social research, participatory action research, community cultural development and community engagement.

Dianna Hurford is a poet and planner and has worked for the past 10 years in the field of affordable housing and homelessness in British Columbia, Canada.

Christine Wenman is a community and natural resource planner whose professional focus includes governance, education and citizen engagement.