So for all the grade 9’s in British Columbia we have to participate in a take your kid to work day. Along with that we have to fill out two sheets, one where we ask different people at that workplace different questions. The other where we write about our experience I don’t have to do because I’m in P.L.P and that makes me special I was told.

Anyway, where my day was very different from most is that I went to my Aunt’s work, not any of my parents. Why? Because I find her work interesting. She is a planner at The City of North Vancouver, a career that I also plan to pursue. Now, because I was going to be where buildings, parks and more are planned through the whole tour, I was not allowed to use my phone. That means no media. Sorry.

Because I was involved with the City I got a full tour of not just the City hall, but also the fire hall and police station which as awesome. I learned all about being a firefighter and what they do, I don’t think I want to do that, it sounds frightening. As far as the police station goes, I got a full tour, even the secrets stuff so I don’t know what I’m allowed to say other than it was cool.

For the second half of the day I met the mayor, which was really awesome and then I really did some work.

The photo above is me tallying and making a chart using data collected from different sessions. All of them out stickers on an activity, item, or development idea for a park in North Vancouver.

After filling out the sheet that turned out to be completely unnecessary, I learned a lot about the requirements and types of planning. Like my aunt you can work for the government, or you can work for the private sector. The difference is planners for private sectors plan and propose the idea to the city, whose planners propose it to the mayor.

The most surprising thing I learned was how closely City planners work with the mayor. Every time you want to present an idea for development you have to speak in front of board her is on, while you are on T.V! Even though it is a difficult stressful job, I do see myself possibly becoming a city planner in the future.