Send Us Your Ideas on How to Make Neighborhoods Great
The cooperative wood-fired oven in Toronto's Dufferin Grove Park was the result of a community-led initiative to enliven the park. (Image courtesy of Jutta Mason.)
As PPS works in more cities and towns around the world, we find the greatest wisdom for improving public spaces comes from local neighborhoods. No matter the place, the best ideas arise out of the experience and ingenuity of people in the communities where we work. For years PPS has put such knowledge to use in revitalizing parks, buildings, streets, and markets -- now we'd like to put
your expertise to use helping people improve their local neighborhood places. That's why we are excited to announce a new Great Neighborhood Places project, to gather and promote ideas that anyone can use to bring their neighborhoods back to life.
Send us examples of what people can do to improve their own communities--ways to make them livelier, safer, and more fun. It can be anything that makes a difference in people's lives--from planting petunias to redeveloping a business district. No idea is too small or too big, if it works.
Send all ideas to jay@pps.org. Give us a few sentences describing your idea, including information on where it's been tried if possible. Photographs and contact information for people already working on this idea are very helpful. We hope to use these ideas in a forthcoming book and on our website. For inspiration, check out these examples of great neighborhood ideas.
Feature Story:
Saving the World One Streetcorner at a Time
By Jay Walljasper
PPS is seeking ideas on how to create lively community places. Send us yours!
There's a growing recognition that to create great communities we need good places to hang out with our friends and neighbors. And people everywhere--in suburbs, cities, and small towns--are beginning to take action. It can range from simple steps like forming a block club to big projects like establishing pedestrian-friendly streets. PPS is launching a new project to promote these exciting new developments--and we'd like your help.
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