4. Placemaking is essential to vibrant travel destinations
The travel industry has long understood that cities and towns need ways to showcase their uniqueness in order to attract visitors. To that end, PPS gave the lead-off speech to 1600 travel industry professionals attending the Destination Marketing International Conference in Las Vegas under the theme of "creating destinations." This year, we also gave presentations to the American Hotel and Lodging Association's Resort Committee and at the national conference on Civic Tourism in Providence, RI. A recent story in the industry journal Convene highlights how PPS's placemaking approach applies to destination marketing.


The historic swan boats of Boston's Public Garden have attracted locals and visitors for over 130 years

5. Libraries emerge as new town squares
Librarians represent a newly emerging force for placemaking. They already provide a resource center for their communities, but many of them are now pushing to turn their libraries into civic centers that foster a sense of community and offer a unique gathering place. Many librarians now envision their facilities as both virtual and literal town squares for their neighborhoods and downtowns. PPS recently offered workshops and keynote addresses at library conferences in four provinces, and in early 2009 will give a keynote presentation to the National Librarian Conference in Canada. We have learned a lot about the potential of placemaking from these innovative librarians.


A new patio outside a regional library in Nova Scotia draws in the community

6. How cities stay lively 12 months a year
Peace Plaza in Rochester, Minnesota, Kennedy Plaza in Rhode Island, Campus Martius in Detroit and Market Square in Pittsburgh are just a handful of new or revitalized public spaces that have been successful in attracting people all year round despite rain, snow or freezing temperatures. The secret they share is strong and creative management. In the winter months, these squares and plazas each feature a program of public activities that include skating rinks, holiday markets, or temporary "ice cafes." The success of public spaces ultimately depends on programming and management, and spaces are best equipped to thrive when they host events and activities throughout the year.


Kennedy Plaza in Rhode Island has been given new life with a variety of programming and activities

7. The Power of 10 leverages community assets
The bold idea that every town and neighborhood should have at least ten destinations, each with several things to do, has been greeted with overwhelming enthusiasm everywhere we talk about it. Now, public leaders all over the world are embracing this vision as an effective way of enlivening communities by tapping into local assets and knowledge of place. Offering people the chance to identify ten potential great places in their neighborhood can be a powerful tool in developing a vision to improve any community.

Last fall, the West Virginia University Extension Service's Center for Community, Economic & Workforce Development hosted a "Power of 10" summit based on the simple but important idea that the more things there are to do in a place, the more beloved and important that place will become to the neighborhood. PPS offered the keynote at the summit, which was attended by people from throughout the state.

PPS has also utilized the "Power of 10" concept for workshops in many settings: in Washington D.C., in collaboration with the Downtown Business Improvement District, to transform F Street into a world-class avenue; in downtown Houston, for a new park called Discovery Green; in Dubai, for visioning and planning ambitious new developments; and Harvard University, as part of planning for a brand new campus across the Charles River.

 

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