It's an all-too-familiar challenge for everyone charged with managing public spaces: People will come outside when the weather is right, but how do you make places active all year round, in every season? That's the question Mayor Sergio Chiamparino faces now that the Winter Olympics have left Torino. "Sure, it was easy to get people to come out in public in the dead of winter, but once the snow melts - what is there for them to do?" he sighed.

The lack of snow cover has already sapped many Olympic amenities of their widespread appeal. "The ski jump doesn't function well without a nice coat of ice," said Mario Pescante, M.P., Under-Secretary of State in charge of Sport. "There's too much friction and people just kind of trip on their skis and tumble end over end - it's quite grisly. And that luge track? Don't even get me started."

Chiamparino turned to PPS to formulate a strategy for making the Olympic sites active during the warmer months. At a Placemaking workshop in March, local chocolatier Caffarel, Inc. volunteered to "lube up" the ski jump with rich, dark chocolate. Another private sector partner, Martini & Rossi, will donate a giant champagne glass filled with Asti Spumante to serve as a landing pool for summertime ski-jumpers.

"And that luge track? Don't even get me started."

Other planned alterations to boost summertime use include turning the luge track into a water flume; converting the cross country ski trail into a 30 mile multi-use hike/bike link between Torino and Milano; melting the ice skating rinks to create interactive misting fountains with nighttime laser light displays; and using the ski slopes for grazing sheep. "The wool we produce this year we will call 'Olympic Grade'," beamed the Mayor.

The vision that emerged from the workshop also focuses on economic development and social cohesion. Towards that end, the Olympic Village dormitories will be converted to youth hostels and affordable housing for employees of nearby ski resorts. "It will be great not having to cross country ski 26 miles to and from work each day," said Luigi Ciolfini, a dishwasher at the Lake Cuomo Holiday Inn who came in 3rd in the Olympic cross country ski competition. "I knew I had a chance when they shortened the race from 50k to 6k so that the closing ceremonies could start on time. Now, with affordable housing, I won't have to sell my bronze medal to pay the rent."

Chiamparino believes the PPS recommendations strike the perfect balance between the crush of Olympic tourist activity and the usual summer doldrums. "Now that the Olympics are over, and we can finally get a seat on a park bench and a table at our favorite café, we are more socially cohesive than ever! Mille grazie!"