Paris to change into “La Ville Du Quart d’Heure” or “the quarter-hour city” by Anne Hidalgo.
Being the first woman to hold the office of Mayor Anne Hidalgo from a Spanish-French community has announced her re-election campaign. The position includes refurbishing the city into a 15-minute ride.
Adding to the list of cities like Melbourne, Ottawa, and Detroit, Paris builds itself to become proximity, diverse, dense, and ubiquitous.
The matter is an initiative effort made to reduce its carbon footprint, improve the quality of life, and be self-sustainable.
The humble beginnings of Anne Hidalgo
Mayor Anne Hidalgo is no new to bringing reforms like such. She was born in the Spanish town of Andalusia, whose father is an electrician and mother as a seamstress. A couple of years from her birth, the family moved to the southeastern region of France.
She then became a citizen of France at the age of 14.
Hidalgo graduated at the University of Jean Moulin, landing her a job as a Labor Inspector at 25 years old, before taking the Advisor post to the former Labor Minister Martine Aubry. From there, she climbed her way up as a Deputy Mayor in which she excelled for 13 years.
Hidalgo later went on to win 55% of the votes in the second term, gaining her the position as Mayor. To dismiss the taunts of opposition party members, she made a statement by quoting a well-known writer Sacha Guitry, saying, “Being a Parisian is not about being born in Paris, it is about being reborn in Paris.”
Despite the low voter turnout because of the COVID pandemic, Hidalgo was re-elected as Mayor in June 2020.
Ideology behind it
The ‘quarter-hour city,’ as mentioned above, is a part of Hidalgo’s campaign. It includes a cut down on four-wheelers, converting the roadside car parking spaces into cycling lanes. Furthermore, it involves creating children streets near school complexes, reduces lanes, and speed limits.
The idea primarily focuses on public transport and reducing the time spent traveling to work or daily needs. Hidalgo believes that her campaign helps in creating space in a person’s day to interact and involve in community activities or indulge in hobbies.
Additionally, it aims to improve working, living, learning, supplying the nature of the city and its residents.
Backdrop
Despite sounding like a smart option, many architects and citizens disagree. Their primary concerns include less affordable housing and quietness in the community. Others pin out safety concerns and the utilization of compromising on the impact of the quality of education.
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