Chris Heitmann recommends that as farmers markets grow in popularity around the country, communities direct efforts towards developing partnerships and strategic planning, in order to thrive and reap the economic and social benefits that markets bring to neighborhoods.
PPS sponsored a briefing and reception with the support of the Ford Foundation and WK Kellogg Foundation on Monday, July 18, 2005 in Washington DC. (view event invitation and details.)
PPS worked with Seattle Parks and Recreation to bring people and activity into Freeway Park, which has few users due to lack of signage and maintenance, and a perception of danger. PPS worked with the community to develop recommendations that included physical changes to open up the park and draw people in. The effort is beginning to pay off; the park is hosting lunchtime concerts that draw around 100 people, the Seattle Public Library will hold regular used book sales, and local business and residents are seeing a change in attitude towards the park.
The Dorthea Dix Hospital will close in 2007, leaving Raleigh, NC with the opportunity to create a master plan for the redevelopment of 315 hilly acres. There are many differing opinions on what the future site should be, ranging from a public park, to high-density private development, or even another hospital, but Kathy Madden feels the community is the expert; “That mental hospital and that land is in an existing community and has stakeholders already. They’re the ones who should decide.”
Steve Davies discusses how public markets are not only important as great places and destinations, but are also vital to city – and family – economies.
As a part of PPS’s work in Tucson, AZ, the City has reduced two major downtown streets from three lanes to two lanes, and created an additional 150 parking spaces. The goal of the change is to discourage use of these streets for through traffic, encourage use by drivers who are going to visit downtown destinations, and to ultimately create a more pedestrian-friendly environment.
PPS is working with David Barley, founder of the Palm Beach Land Trust, to improve the public spaces in Orlando, FL. In this interview, David discusses how he is working with PPS to apply the principals of Placemaking to foster community development and create destinations in Downtown Orlando.