RENOWNED "PEACE PARK" PROPONENT AND DESIGNER TO SPEAK AT UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Renowned proponent and designer of "peace parks" John MacLeod of Canada will speak at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at Giffels Auditorium, located on the second floor of Old Main, University of Arkansas campus. His speech, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by Professor Emeritus Richard Bennett in cooperation with the Department of Landscape Architecture.

MacLeod has written extensively on the subject and is currently collaborating with Dr. Bennett on the publication of a directory of places and associations in North America dedicated to peace.

A landscape architect, MacLeod is currently an associate professor at l’Ecole d’architecture de paysage (School of Landscape Architecture) of the Universite’ de Montreal in Quebec, where he has lived and worked for over 20 years. Since 1985 he has taught community and garden design, professional practice and landscape construction at the university as well as acting as a consultant in landscape architecture.

He has traveled extensively throughout Canada and in the United States, Russia, France, Holland, Colombia and South Korea promoting community-designed and sponsored peace parks. His major projects include a master plan for the Plains of Abraham National Historic Park (1981) and landscape design for the Old Port of Quebec (1984). His applied research involves working with community groups in formulating the design of private and public 'micro-landscapes’ such as back alleys, parks and gardens. He has recently included working with a major retail chain in reconciling its commercial development with the needs and perception of area residents and 'their’ adjacent park.

A member of the Canadian Baha’i community, he has participated in numerous activities aimed at promoting the unity of the human family locally, nationally and abroad.