Edmonton city Coun. Andrew Knack posted a video to social media and said he felt inspired about 15-minute cities.."It's something that's so convenient," Knack said.."Everything is going to be within 15 minutes. You're not going to have to worry about traffic because people won't need a car. And when we say 15 minutes, we mean a 15-minute walk, not a 15-minute drive. We want you to live in an area, a district where everything that you need is 1.5 kilometers.".READ MORE: 15-minute city project is preparing to help Edmonton reach 1.25 million people.It appears the City of Edmonton wants to be a 15-minute city for residents..District Planning is a multi-year project to build a “community of communities — small towns in our big city," where people can meet many of their daily needs within 15 minutes of where they live in Edmonton..READ MORE: Yegunited protests 15 minute cities in Edmonton.Twitter users were quick to react to Knack's post about the plan.."What happens when you leave your 'District?' What are the restrictions on driving to visit family, work and play or go on a date outside your 'district?' Why is this a good idea to you? Do you see the issue of government control over people’s freedom of assembly?" one Twitter user asked Knack.."Thanks for the question. The same thing happens if you leave your area now: nothing," Knack claimed..According to city documents, the 15-minute city project is preparing to help Edmonton reach 1.25 million people.."While the video is a bit short, the best way to look at it is do you want to have the ability to more easily access services and amenities close to your home? To be clear, it’s not about forcing you to live locally but rather giving you the choice to live more locally," Knack said.."No one has ever suggestion (sic) segregation. Fifteen-minute communities are about providing more services and amenities closer to your home while still providing the same opportunities for someone to travel across the city however they want.".According to the campaign policy from the mayor in Edmonton, the 15-minute city is about quality of life which includes shortening commutes to work and amenities, like groceries, recreation, and restaurants.."Supporting a greater variety of local small businesses serving their own neighbourhoods through community hubs, revitalizing strip malls, and supporting small-scale development. Reducing our environmental footprint by making it easier to drive less," Sohi said in the policy campaign..The mayor in Edmonton said he believes residents need to work with communities and, at a district level, identify gaps in the multi-use trail network that limit transportation choices.."This could mean widening sidewalks or multi-use trails that encourage walking, or sustainable infrastructure in communities where they make sense. Addressing gaps and barriers will be essential for encouraging all modes of transportation at a local level," Sohi said in his policy campaign..There is no mention of restriction of movement by the City of Edmonton in its plan.
