TSET to hold Kay County Conference

Press Release

PONCA CITY — The TSET Healthy Living Program (HLP) serving Kay County and the University of Oklahoma Institute for Quality (OU IQC) Communities are preparing to host a conference on how to build communities healthier and more vibrant.

The “Oklahoma Towns: Walkability and Placemaking Summit” will take place on June 14 at The Summit at City Central in Ponca City, and attendance is free of charge. Walkability increases safety and access for pedestrians, while placemaking refers to efforts that strengthen the connection between people and a community’s public spaces.

The summit will feature speakers from Kay County and other parts of Oklahoma and include a hands-on workshop designed to create a real-world example of changing an environment to promote walkability and placemaking.

The summit also will showcase projects and success stories from communities that have created active living environments that are safe and welcome to pedestrians and bicyclists.

Prior to the full conference day, the TSET HLP and OU IQC also will host a pre-conference meet-up in Newkirk on the evening of June 13. This event will focus on digital storytelling and highlight the recent virtual reality storytelling project with Trifecta Communications, OU IQC and Newkirk Main Street.

City and town leaders and planners, community advocates, community health partners and others will be in attendance. This is a fantastic opportunity for Kay County to showcase our beautiful downtown, City Central, our own success stories and play host to city leaders from across the state.

“We are very excited about this partnership with OU’s Institute for Quality Communities and to bring this exciting conference to Ponca City,” said Jenny Creech of the TSET HLP serving Kay County.

You can register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/311157960837, or find the event on Facebook at Kay County TSET Healthy Living Program.

Here is the tentative Agenda:

Pre-Conference: Monday, June 13, 5:30 – 7 pm.

Newkirk Digital Storytelling Meetup at the Kay County Courthouse in Newkirk

Conference Day: Tuesday, June 14, 9 a.m. – 3:30 pm.

Session: Working toward walkability and Connectivity

Session: Working toward Vibrant Public Places

Local Food Trucks available for lunch

Hands on Workshop featuring Ponca City’s historic downtown