In the summer of 2008, after participating in a PPS Placemaking workshop and bringing together multiple partners and community stakeholders, the Greater Kennedy Plaza Association (GKPA) in Providence, RI, generated $85,000 for its first year of programming. With a mission to transform neglected public spaces throughout the city into vibrant community destinations, the organization received support from numerous sources, including the Coalition for Community Development; the Department of Art, Culture + Tourism; Providence Foundation, the Parks Department; Providence Tourism Council; and the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA). The GKPA also used crowdsourcing to acquire program amenities such as portable basketball hoops (from Providence College) and welcome banners (funded by RIPTA and the Providence Preservation Society). The success of Burnside Park in Greater Kennedy Plaza is due to the financial support, donations, and multi-sector partnerships generated through these efforts, and in Summer 2008, more than 1500 visitors attended evening programs at the Plaza. Today, many of RIPTA’s 71,ooo daily users can pass through and appreciate this newly energized public space.

Photo credits, all: PPS

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Website: provparksconservancy.org/visit

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Twitter: @KennedyPlazaPVD