This newsletter from the Project for Public Spaces [1] connects people who share a passion for public spaces to ideas and issues, news, quotes, places, and events from the placemaking movement.

[2]

Announcing Our Walk/Bike/Places Plenary [3]

Public Space and the Pandemic: Lessons in Access, Inclusion & Justice [3]

A man in a wheelchair uses a crosswalk improved during the pandemic in Oakland, CA.

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After a devastating year, the coronavirus pandemic finally appears to be on the decline in North America, and decision makers have turned their attention to the question of how we can “build back better.” But what does this mean for people with disabilities?

Public Space and the Pandemic: Lessons in Access, Inclusion & Justice—our opening plenary at Walk/Bike/Places [4] later this month—brings together government officials, practitioners, and advocates to discuss how the pandemic has affected people with disabilities, and what the active transportation and placemaking fields can do to rebuild our public spaces to be more accessible, inclusive, and just.

The Walk/Bike/Places conference is only one week away, but it's not too late to register! Learn more and register today. [4]

Meet the Panelists

Quemuel Arroyo (Moderator)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York's first all-agency Chief Accessibility Officer

Joelle Galatan
A Brandeis University student and adaptive cycling advocate

Juliette Rizzo
A pedestrian and safe streets advocate and former Ms. Wheelchair America

Warren Logan
Policy Director of Mobility and Interagency Relations for the Mayor's Office of Oakland

More Events & Opportunities

June 25, 2021 • Grant: Canada Healthy Communities Initiative [5], Community Foundations of Canada

ASAP • Job: Business Development Associate [6], Patronicity

ASAP • Job: Project Coach [7], Patronicity

ASAP • Job: Social Media Coordinator [8], Patronicity

Ongoing • Grant: Community Heart & Soul Seed Grants [9] (for towns under 30,000), Community Heart & Soul

Have an event or opportunity you would like to share? Email us at [email protected] [10].

Walk/Bike/Places, June 15-18, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana and online.

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From the Blog

Social Alchemy: Jim Walker on Placemaking as Utopian Experiment [11]
May 12, 2021 • by Jim Walker

Six Trends in Placemaking & Active Transportation from Walk/Bike/Places [12]
May 6, 2021 • by Nate Storring

Place Governance Roundup: Three Ways NYC Could Better Care for Its Streets [13]
April 17, 2021 • by Jackson Chabot

Public Space News

Hip Hop Museum Coming to the Bronx. The new Bronx Point development recently broke ground after years of planning and community engagement. In addition to affordable housing and waterfront development, the site will include a museum celebrating the Bronx as the birth place of Hip Hop.
(Urbanize [14])

Minneapolis Clears George Floyd Square. Public works crews removed barricades set up by community members at the intersection where George Floyd was killed by police. While the timeline is uncertain, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey pledged to continue to work with the community to allow traffic to return to the street while still honoring Floyd's memory.
(CBS [15]Minnesota [15])

Reinvesting in Urban Cores Can Help Everyone. A new report from Brookings finds that urban cores shrunk significantly over the last several decades as policy encouraged suburban development. The report points to several negative outcomes that have fallen disproportionately on marginalized communities, but also highlighted the potential

Texas Moves to Criminalize Encampments. Bucking local leaders, the Texas legislature has passed a bill that makes camping in public spaces a misdemeanor. It also prevents municipalities from sanctioning encampments, which some have recently done in response to a growing homeless population. The legislation now awaits governor Greg Abbott's signature. (Urbanize [16])

NYC's Little Island Highlights Disparities. New York's newest green space, Little Island, recently opened on the west side of Lower Manhattan. While winning plaudits for its beautiful design, the park has received criticism as well. Created with private funding, it is located in a wealthy neighborhood that already features other amenities, while some poorer parts of the city have little green space of any kind. (WaPo [17])

Placemaking Playbook

As always, here is a roundup of 10 inspiring placemaking ideas from the week

Miracle on 34th Avenue: The threats against one of New York's best open streets in Queens (StreetsBlog NYC [18])
A call to design better places for teen girls to hang out (CityLab [19])
A push for legislation that reforms how communities respond to mental health crises (CityLab [20])
These libraries doubling as food distribution hubs (SoJo Exchange [21])
A discussion on promoting healthier communities through placemaking (PlacemakingX [22])
A guide to using American Rescue Plan funding to make public spaces more playful and educational (Brookings [23])
These tips for improving small town life (Social Life Project [24])
A list of 15 freeways that could be removed to benefit BIPOC communities (StreetsBlog [25])
A call for more pedestrian plazas (StreetsBlog [26])
These ideas for better supporting street vendors (Curbed [27])

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Announcing the Opening Plenary for Walk/Bike/Places | Placemaking Weekly