As part of PPS's mission to empower local communities, the organization is forging relationships with strategic partners across the country. In Chicago, PPS recently teamed up with the Metropolitan Planning Council to provide training to both local officials and community leaders focusing on community-led Placemaking initiatives, and to assist them in setting up a Placemaking campaign for the city. The partnership includes the recently-published Guide to Neighborhood Placemaking in Chicago, which provides basic training on Placemaking at a local level and highlights specific examples of citizen-led Placemaking in the city that has already led to sweeping improvements on local streets and in neighborhoods. The book also guides communities in evaluating their public spaces and provides a framework to engage local businesses and government in helping implement improvements.

The partnership included two days of on-site training in Chicago, and each workshop was tailored to meet the unique needs of the participants. The first session was geared toward Chicago's community group leaders, active residents, and Special Service Area (SSA) administrators. It centered on strategies for building consensus and seeking the outside (and sometimes unlikely) partnerships that make Placemaking possible. The second group consisted of representatives from Chicago's public sector, including staff from the Chicago Park District, Chicago Dept. of Transportation, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Chicago aldermanic offices, and other agencies. Addressing this group, Ethan Kent said, "Your job is to inform community leaders and facilitate the Placemaking process" - but not necessarily to direct it.

The training's morning sessions introduced the 11 foundational principles of Placemaking, while the afternoon sessions centered on the "Place Game:" attendees broke into small groups led by PPS staff and evaluated places along 43rd Street to practice assessing public space challenges - the first phase in PPS's "Step-by-Step Guide" to implementing Placemaking improvements.

At the end of the first day, community participants drafted a list of "obstacles" to collaboration with city agencies, which was presented to public sector representatives on the second day. Each participant arrived with a unique perspective and Placemaking prospects, and all seemed to leave enlivened and inspired with ways they could initiate Placemaking strategies in their neighborhoods or agencies.

The training and publication marks PPS's first partnership with a local planning council, and the Metropolitan Planning Council, an organization spearheaded by both business and community members for more than 70 years, emerged as an ideal partner for this project. Dedicated to responsible planning and improving the quality of urban life, MPC has long been committed to promoting inclusive, consensus building decision-making among civic organizations, community groups, business leaders, and government agencies. Together, PPS and MPC hope to encourage citizen action and attention to local economies.

For more information on the Chicago campaign and to download a free copy of A Guide to Neighborhood Placemaking In Chicago, visit www.placemakingchicago.com.