RON SWARNER: JEG VILLE KUNNE LIDE EN ØL >>>

I spent six months at the University of Copenhagen as part of the University of Washington’s study abroad program for the Economics department.

I drank a lot of Elephant beer in school â€" both in class and after class with professors in neighboring pubs. Interesting enough, I earned my highest college semester GPA while studying in Denmark.

On of the more impressive districts in Copenhagen was the walking street â€" Strøget. The car-free street was lined with retail, bars and restaurants â€" and hundreds and hundreds of people.

I drank a lot of beer on that street, too.

Danish architect/consultant/author Lars Gemzoe says "a change of urban culture" in Copenhagen resulted in more and more sites being reserved for pedestrians and cyclists. He said his nation’s capital, home to about 500,000 in its central district alone, opened its first car-free road in 1962.

He said walking "is a simple, cheap and low-noise activity" that doesn’t pollute the atmosphere and helps improve pedestrians’ fitness levels. From an urban design point of view, Mr. Gemzoe said, pedestrian-only streets downtown can provide a portal to improved human relationships.

Gemzoe will discuss the human element in public spaces Tuesday, April 22 during the noon Tacoma City Council study session in the Tacoma Municipal Building (7233 Market St., Room 16).  He’ll discuss making downtown Tacoma a more inviting and people-friendly place, including the empty Tollefson Plaza. (Why was that space empty after the Daffodil Parade when everyone was downtown?)

While the Council will not take public comment during the noon study session, it should make for an educational lunchtime.

The city is paying $15,000 to bring Gemzoe to town. That’s a lot of Elephant beer money.