WORKSHOPS
Monday, June 23
Round One: 1:00-2:30pm

The Conservancy Model of Management
How a Public/Private Partnership Transformed Central Park

Together with its partner, the City of New York, the Central Park Conservancy transformed Central Park from its deteriorated state in the late 1970s to its present condition, setting new standards of excellence in park care in the process and serving as a catalyst for the city's own extraordinary turn-around. The Conservancy's success in restoring and managing Central Park has made it a model of public-private partnership that has been replicated in parks throughout the country. This Q&A session will examine how the Conservancy's model has been adapted to parks and park organizations of different types and sizes, and in different phases of development. Discussion will focus on the Conservancy’s experiences, on other partnerships that have adapted the model to their particular circumstances, and on identifying key common governance principles and management practices.

What Time is this Park?
Layering New Uses On an Old Design
SOLD OUT!

Balancing the demands of current popular uses while maintaining the integrity of an historic design is a challenge facing many older urban parks. This session will address such questions as: What period of the park's history is "historic?" What to do with "non-historic" additions that may have strong advocates, such as recreational facilities, gardens, monuments, etc? This discussion will focus on the challenges posed in finding ways to balance the demands of current popular uses, which continue to change over time, with the objective of responsible stewardship of the park as an historic resource.

Public-Private Partnerships for Not-So-Central Parks
Developing Constituencies and Stewardship in Smaller Neighborhood Parks

As conservancies continue to make great strides creating roles for citizen leaders and private resources to improve the management of major urban parks, local community groups and park advocates have sought ways to extend the benefits of the public-private partnership model to smaller, neighborhood parks. This session will focus on the role of community partners in park revitalization. We will take a close look at what kinds of partnerships work in which cases and why, starting with an analysis of the different models that exist - from friends groups to corporate partners and beyond. Speakers will examine the spectrum of capacities out there with specific examples from around the country.

One Park, Many Places

Although it is celebrated for its grand, integrated design, for many of its users, Central Park is defined by its smaller places and experiences. These users often develop a passionate sense of ownership of "their" part of the park, a sense that has time and again significantly altered the park's future. Yet, the park was conceived and is managed as a single program of connected places, with careful consideration to how different parts serve different users, how they relate to one another, and how the experience of the park as a whole unfolds through exploration. This session seeks to explore the magical relationship between the parts and the whole that make a park great and is critical to understand for designers, managers, and advocates of urban parks. Stories will be told by those who champion the remarkable places in Central Park.

Public Art in the Public Eye:
Square Pegs, Round Holes and Getting a Good Fit

Many artists work with city agencies, private partners, and non-profit organizations to create public art in public spaces. But when is public art considered successful and a real contribution to the space, whether a plaza, subway station, or park? How does art connect with the larger goals of revitalizing the spaces around them? This workshop will look at some of the issues surrounding public art in public spaces and the challenges of working with artists, government agencies, corporations and local communities. Presenters will relate stories, frustrations (i.e. Richard Serra's "Tilted Arc" story) and successes about community engagement in the design, fabrication, installation, and use of public art in various public spaces.

Environmental Education:
A Major Pillar in a Park's Foundation

Environmental education is an essential component for the construction of a substantive network of care and support for all parks. A strong education program will provide both quality educational programs that fit into the local academic structure as well as programs that attract the general public. Great programs will not only teach people about parks and nature, but they will also capture their interest and effort, and ultimately create a strong constituency. Building and maintaining quality programs requires research, thought, action and evaluation. In this session we will hear from a variety of noted individuals about their efforts. Specifically we will discuss: a) the goals of such programs, b) review some outstanding examples, c) share ideas on successful linkages, and d) hear about program evaluation.