Melissa and Chris Bruntlett to discuss the potential of reimagined spaces and increased transportation sustainability at a Jan. 20 Building Blocks Talks event
Urban mobility experts Melissa and Chris Bruntlett, who documented how the Netherlands became the world’s cycling capital, will demonstrate how those same strategies can transform the unique transportation landscape in Elkhart County when they speak at the Goshen Theater Ballroom, on Jan. 20 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., as part of the continuing Building Blocks Talks series.
The Bruntletts, who co-authored the popular urban cycling manual “Building the Cycling City: The Dutch Blueprint for Urban Vitality,” will present “Cycling Towards Empathy: Reimagining more inclusive spaces in our communities.” Doors open at 6 p.m. The event is free, and the entire community is invited to register and attend.
Presented by Vibrant Communities of Elkhart County, the Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau (ECCVB), the Pumpkinvine Trails Coalition, the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, and weIMPACT, the Building Blocks Talks series presents expert speakers to offer wisdom and insight on urban planning, civic design, and overall community vibrancy.
Previous editions of the Building Blocks Talks series featured acclaimed urban planner Chuck Marohn and former Carmel mayor Jim Brainard. According to Jon Hunsberger, executive director of the ECCVB, such discussions are important in continuing the good placemaking work started by Vibrant Communities, and help ensure a well-planned and Well Crafted future outlook for urban planning and quality of place in Elkhart County.
“When it comes to reimagining spaces for the sake of happier residents and more sustainable transport, Melissa and Chris have a lot of valuable and meaningful input,” Hunsberger said, “and we encourage the whole community to come hear what they have to say. There are factors in the Elkhart County equation that make sustainable transport an important topic for us. The Pumpkinvine Trail is a unique resource that connects and impacts our whole region, and we have Amish neighbors who have always relied on alternative transportation. This is going to be an interesting discussion of how reimagined spaces, cycling, and increased sustainability can benefit communities like ours.”
In their Jan. 20 Building Blocks Talks presentation, the Bruntletts will focus on ways to redesign community spaces that prioritize people over cars, with specific attention on how cycling can improve sustainability, accessibility, and community connection.
Building Blocks Talks – “Cycling Towards Empathy: Reimagining more inclusive spaces in our communities”
- Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, at the Goshen Theater Ballroom, 216 S. Main Street, Goshen, Indiana 46526. 6:30-8 p.m., doors open at 6.
The Building Blocks Talks series is free and open to the public. All those interested in attending must register at https://tally.so/r/mB6E1N. For more information, visit the Building Blocks Talks landing page.
At the Jan. 20 Building Blocks Talks event at the Goshen Theater, global equitable mobility experts Melissa and Chris Bruntlett discuss how more inclusive transport and public spaces can create and support thriving communities all over the world—including Elkhart County. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and is free and open to the general public. Participants are asked to register for the event at https://tally.so/r/mB6E1N.
