Location: Nationwide
Website: levitt.org
The Levitt program is transformative. Abandoned, blighted places—whether a neglected and gang-infested park, a dormant downtown, a vacant lot or a toxic brownfield—are today vibrant, welcoming destinations where families, friends and people of all ages and backgrounds gather to discover new worlds, and each other, through free, live music.
Levitt’s free concerts, easily accessible locations and open lawn settings foster social interactions among people of all ages and backgrounds—strengthening the social fabric of our cities. There’s no front row, no back row, just a grassy open lawn filled with friends dancing, children playing and neighbors picnicking. Levitt venues are places where people relax and enjoy the company of others. Where we embrace our shared humanity.
At Levitt, we believe the arts aren’t a luxury, but a basic human need, just as essential as food and shelter. Studies show that frequent engagement with the arts has remarkably positive effects on our individual well-being, as well as society as a whole. However, the average American’s ability to access the arts is dwindling. High premiums are placed on cultural activities like going to a museum or experiencing a live concert.
Levitt concerts feature first-rate, critically acclaimed artists free of charge. This enables people from all walks of life—many of whom could not afford the cost of a concert for themselves or their families—to have those meaningful cultural experiences essential to a healthy, happy life. Both permanent Levitt venues and the Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Awards are community-driven, inspiring engaged citizens and civic leadership to come together and commit to creating a meaningful impact in their city. Once a Levitt location opens, people from throughout the community are invested in the success of the concert series—from concertgoers and volunteers to community partners and local sponsors. At the helm is a local nonprofit, either Friends of Levitt for signature Levitt venues or the local organization presenting Levitt AMP, mobilizing support for the concert series and driving community engagement.
Why We Matter:
Through both permanent Levitt venues and the Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Awards, Levitt harnesses the power of free, live music to strengthen American community life one city, and one concert, at a time. The impact of the Levitt program goes beyond the free concerts. Levitt demonstrates the power of creative placemaking—the integration of arts and culture into communities to spark economic growth, strengthen social bonds and enhance overall quality of life. Below are just some of the ways the Levitt program impacts communities:
Green spaces are reclaimed.
Neglected public spaces are activated.
Local economies are given a boost.
Communities are safer.
Social and economic barriers are broken.
Showing posts with label Parks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parks. Show all posts
Saturday, April 9, 2016
Friday, December 25, 2015
Million Trees NYC
Location: New York, NY
Website://www.milliontreesnyc.org
MillionTreesNYC, one of the 132 PlaNYC initiatives, is a citywide, public-private program with an ambitious goal: to plant and care for one million new trees across the City's five boroughs over the next decade. By planting one million trees, New York City can increase its urban forest—our most valuable environmental asset made up of street trees, park trees, and trees on public, private and commercial land—by an astounding 20%, while achieving the many quality-of-life benefits that come with planting trees. The City of New York will plant 70% of trees in parks and other public spaces. The other 30% will come from private organizations, homeowners, and community organizations.
Trees enrich and improve our environment and dramatically increase the overall quality of life in New York City. Our urban forest totals over 5 million trees and 168 species. It can be found throughout the city along streets, highways, in neighborhood playgrounds, backyards, community gardens, and even along commercial developments. There are 6,000 acres of woodlands in parks alone! The benefits provided by trees are numerous and diverse, making it important to quantify their value to our city and its residents. The primary benefits provided by New York City's urban forest come in three key areas:
Environmental Benefits, Slowing Global Climate Change: Urban trees help offset climate change by capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide in their tissue, reducing energy used by buildings, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel based power plants. Our City’s trees store about 1.35 million tons of carbon valued at $24.9 million. In addition, our trees remove over 42,000 tons of carbon each year. Recently, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development cited a study by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) which advocates planting trees and increasing topsoil as preferable methods of combating global climate change. Since soil and trees effectively store carbon dioxide and other pollutants, ecosystems have been proven to play an essential role in climate mitigation.
Water Quality Protection: Urban trees capture rainfall on their leaves and branches and take up water, acting as natural stormwater capture and retention devices. Street trees intercept 890.6 million gallons of stormwater annually, or 1,525 gallons per tree on average. The total value of this benefit to New York City is over $35 million each year.
Improved Air Quality: Trees remove dust and other pollutants from the air. In fact, one tree can remove 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually, the equivalent of 11,000 miles of car emissions. Our trees remove about 2,200 tons of air pollution per year, valued at $10 million annually.
Lower Summer Air Temperature: According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, urban forests reduce urban temperatures significantly by shading buildings and concrete and returning humidity to the air through evaporative cooling.
Natural Resource Conservation: By using trees to modify temperatures, the amount of fossil fuels used for cooling and heating by homeowners and businesses is reduced. Our City’s street trees provide $27 million a year in energy savings.
Wildlife Habitat: New York City’s urban forest provides habitat - including food and shelter for many species of birds, insects, and other wildlife, as well as environmental education resources for New Yorkers of all ages. A recent Op-Ed piece in the New York Times outlines many of the environmental benefits of trees, including the role of riparian tree planting in fertilizing plankton populations which in turn feeds the local fish population. The effect of such riparian plantings in Japan have been studied by a recipient of the United Nations Forest Heroes Award.
High Return of Investment: Over the years the City has invested millions in its urban forest. Trees provide $5.60 in benefits for every dollar spent on tree planting and care.
Increased Property Values: A significant link exists between the value of a property and its proximity to parks, greenbelts, and other green spaces. Smart Money magazine indicated that consumers value a landscaped home up to 11.3 percent higher than its base price. Street trees provide $52 million each year in increased property values. A recent article in the New York Observer illustrates an increase in property values for buildings in proximity to parks and large street tree species, especially the Callery Pear, Honeylocust, and Pin Oak.
Community and Business District Appeal: The greening of business districts increases community pride and positive perception of an area, drawing customers to the businesses.
Improved Health: There is growing evidence that trees help reduce air pollutants that can trigger asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Green spaces also encourage physical activity - a healthy habit for any New Yorker.
Crime Prevention: Tree canopy is associated with a decrease in neighborhood crime. Strategically planted trees as well as community stewardship of the urban forest correlated with lower crime rates according to several studies performed in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Chicago, and other cities.
Website://www.milliontreesnyc.org
MillionTreesNYC, one of the 132 PlaNYC initiatives, is a citywide, public-private program with an ambitious goal: to plant and care for one million new trees across the City's five boroughs over the next decade. By planting one million trees, New York City can increase its urban forest—our most valuable environmental asset made up of street trees, park trees, and trees on public, private and commercial land—by an astounding 20%, while achieving the many quality-of-life benefits that come with planting trees. The City of New York will plant 70% of trees in parks and other public spaces. The other 30% will come from private organizations, homeowners, and community organizations.
Trees enrich and improve our environment and dramatically increase the overall quality of life in New York City. Our urban forest totals over 5 million trees and 168 species. It can be found throughout the city along streets, highways, in neighborhood playgrounds, backyards, community gardens, and even along commercial developments. There are 6,000 acres of woodlands in parks alone! The benefits provided by trees are numerous and diverse, making it important to quantify their value to our city and its residents. The primary benefits provided by New York City's urban forest come in three key areas:
Environmental Benefits, Slowing Global Climate Change: Urban trees help offset climate change by capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide in their tissue, reducing energy used by buildings, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel based power plants. Our City’s trees store about 1.35 million tons of carbon valued at $24.9 million. In addition, our trees remove over 42,000 tons of carbon each year. Recently, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development cited a study by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) which advocates planting trees and increasing topsoil as preferable methods of combating global climate change. Since soil and trees effectively store carbon dioxide and other pollutants, ecosystems have been proven to play an essential role in climate mitigation.
Water Quality Protection: Urban trees capture rainfall on their leaves and branches and take up water, acting as natural stormwater capture and retention devices. Street trees intercept 890.6 million gallons of stormwater annually, or 1,525 gallons per tree on average. The total value of this benefit to New York City is over $35 million each year.
Improved Air Quality: Trees remove dust and other pollutants from the air. In fact, one tree can remove 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually, the equivalent of 11,000 miles of car emissions. Our trees remove about 2,200 tons of air pollution per year, valued at $10 million annually.
Lower Summer Air Temperature: According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, urban forests reduce urban temperatures significantly by shading buildings and concrete and returning humidity to the air through evaporative cooling.
Natural Resource Conservation: By using trees to modify temperatures, the amount of fossil fuels used for cooling and heating by homeowners and businesses is reduced. Our City’s street trees provide $27 million a year in energy savings.
Wildlife Habitat: New York City’s urban forest provides habitat - including food and shelter for many species of birds, insects, and other wildlife, as well as environmental education resources for New Yorkers of all ages. A recent Op-Ed piece in the New York Times outlines many of the environmental benefits of trees, including the role of riparian tree planting in fertilizing plankton populations which in turn feeds the local fish population. The effect of such riparian plantings in Japan have been studied by a recipient of the United Nations Forest Heroes Award.
High Return of Investment: Over the years the City has invested millions in its urban forest. Trees provide $5.60 in benefits for every dollar spent on tree planting and care.
Increased Property Values: A significant link exists between the value of a property and its proximity to parks, greenbelts, and other green spaces. Smart Money magazine indicated that consumers value a landscaped home up to 11.3 percent higher than its base price. Street trees provide $52 million each year in increased property values. A recent article in the New York Observer illustrates an increase in property values for buildings in proximity to parks and large street tree species, especially the Callery Pear, Honeylocust, and Pin Oak.
Community and Business District Appeal: The greening of business districts increases community pride and positive perception of an area, drawing customers to the businesses.
Improved Health: There is growing evidence that trees help reduce air pollutants that can trigger asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Green spaces also encourage physical activity - a healthy habit for any New Yorker.
Crime Prevention: Tree canopy is associated with a decrease in neighborhood crime. Strategically planted trees as well as community stewardship of the urban forest correlated with lower crime rates according to several studies performed in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Chicago, and other cities.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
NPS Urban Agenda
Location: Nationwide
Website: http://www.nps.gov/subjects/urban/Urban-Agenda.htm
Urban Agenda is the result of two years of engagement activities that enlisted hundreds of people from the Park Service and partner organizations. The report puts forth a way of working that is more intentional, collaborative and more sustainable. While the Urban Agenda is focused on the work of the NPS in metropolitan areas, ultimately the relevancy and sustainability of every national park can be strengthened by this work.
The Agenda calls all urban park practitioners to embrace three bold principles:
1. Be Relevant to All Americans: reaching new audiences and stories that represent our nation's diverse history; diversifying our workforce to become a true reflection of the American population; and looking at "parks" in new ways and as innovative urban landscapes for new uses.
2. Activate "ONE NPS": aligning NPS parks, programs, and partnerships – the full portfolio of the National Park System.
3. Nurture a Culture of Collaboration: working in collaboration both internally and externally to better serve communities.As part of the Urban Agenda, ten model cities have been selected to provide illustrative examples and demonstrations for how NPS can apply its full portfolio of resources in strategic ways.
The Urban Matters community, a national network of urban professionals, will begin meeting again to discuss ways to activate the Urban Agenda in cities across the country.
Website: http://www.nps.gov/subjects/urban/Urban-Agenda.htm
Urban Agenda is the result of two years of engagement activities that enlisted hundreds of people from the Park Service and partner organizations. The report puts forth a way of working that is more intentional, collaborative and more sustainable. While the Urban Agenda is focused on the work of the NPS in metropolitan areas, ultimately the relevancy and sustainability of every national park can be strengthened by this work.
The Agenda calls all urban park practitioners to embrace three bold principles:
1. Be Relevant to All Americans: reaching new audiences and stories that represent our nation's diverse history; diversifying our workforce to become a true reflection of the American population; and looking at "parks" in new ways and as innovative urban landscapes for new uses.
2. Activate "ONE NPS": aligning NPS parks, programs, and partnerships – the full portfolio of the National Park System.
3. Nurture a Culture of Collaboration: working in collaboration both internally and externally to better serve communities.As part of the Urban Agenda, ten model cities have been selected to provide illustrative examples and demonstrations for how NPS can apply its full portfolio of resources in strategic ways.
The Urban Matters community, a national network of urban professionals, will begin meeting again to discuss ways to activate the Urban Agenda in cities across the country.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Botanica
Location: Louisville, KY
Website: waterfrontgardens.org
The mission of Botanica is to develop experiences that promote appreciation and understanding of plants for a more harmonious and sustainable world. Our vision is to create a botanical garden and conservatory of extraordinary beauty that engages, enlightens and inspires people about plants and nature.
The seeds of Botanica grew out of three Louisville plant societies that gathered together to host a community educational event. In 1993, members of the three groups – The Louisville Area Iris Society, The Louisville Area Daylily Society, and Hostas of Kentuckiana – formed a new organization and selected the name, "Botanic". Its mission was to become an umbrella organization for the local gardening community by offering quality programs to educate the general public about home gardening. Over the next several years Botanica brought a variety of speakers to Louisville to help enlighten, entertain and educate the community about the botanical world. In addition to hosting a popular lecture series, for six years Botanica was the presenter of the plant-lover’s noteworthy Fleur de Lis Festival – a celebration of all things botanical.
In 2001, Botanica learned that it was the beneficiary of a trust established by member Helen Harrigan, a local gardener with a desire to see a botanical garden and conservatory built in Louisville. Helen’s gift reshaped the focus of our organization, and we set about our work to create what will become Louisville’s Waterfront Botanical Gardens.
Analysis of 9 comparable gardens that helped us project anticipated attendance and revenue streams, as well as the cost of operations and staff.
Site Selection: Evaluated potential locations and selected the 23-acre site at Frankfort Avenue and River Road.
Development of our Strategic Vision(2010)
Title Search (Nov 2012): Tracked deed transfers of 135 plots of land from 1830′s to current ownership of the property by Louisville Metro Government. As a way to promote the garden and inspire the community, we installed the Founders’ Garden at the Heigold Facade on Frankfort Avenue.
Land Use Agreement (June 2013): Signed an agreement with Metro Louisville to formally commit the property for the botanical garden. The agreement also provides a path for Botanica’s future purchase of the property.
Environmental Assessment (October 2013) : Completed a comprehensive assessment of the site and gained agreement by the Superfund Branch of the Kentucky Division of Waste Management.
Design Team Selection(January 2014): Selected Perkins+Will to complete the Master Plan design for the future garden.
Master Plan(November 2014): Finalized the Master Plan for the future gardens.
The completion of the Master Plan is a significant step in our journey, but our work is by no means done. In the coming months, we’ll be preparing ourselves for the next phase of our effort: launching the capital campaign that will raise the funds for construction of the gardens.
We’ve accomplished so much together! All of our work has been made possible through your generous support. We hope you will continue to support Botanica and the garden project as we head in to these next exciting stages!
Website: waterfrontgardens.org
The mission of Botanica is to develop experiences that promote appreciation and understanding of plants for a more harmonious and sustainable world. Our vision is to create a botanical garden and conservatory of extraordinary beauty that engages, enlightens and inspires people about plants and nature.
The seeds of Botanica grew out of three Louisville plant societies that gathered together to host a community educational event. In 1993, members of the three groups – The Louisville Area Iris Society, The Louisville Area Daylily Society, and Hostas of Kentuckiana – formed a new organization and selected the name, "Botanic". Its mission was to become an umbrella organization for the local gardening community by offering quality programs to educate the general public about home gardening. Over the next several years Botanica brought a variety of speakers to Louisville to help enlighten, entertain and educate the community about the botanical world. In addition to hosting a popular lecture series, for six years Botanica was the presenter of the plant-lover’s noteworthy Fleur de Lis Festival – a celebration of all things botanical.
In 2001, Botanica learned that it was the beneficiary of a trust established by member Helen Harrigan, a local gardener with a desire to see a botanical garden and conservatory built in Louisville. Helen’s gift reshaped the focus of our organization, and we set about our work to create what will become Louisville’s Waterfront Botanical Gardens.
Analysis of 9 comparable gardens that helped us project anticipated attendance and revenue streams, as well as the cost of operations and staff.
Site Selection: Evaluated potential locations and selected the 23-acre site at Frankfort Avenue and River Road.
Development of our Strategic Vision(2010)
Title Search (Nov 2012): Tracked deed transfers of 135 plots of land from 1830′s to current ownership of the property by Louisville Metro Government. As a way to promote the garden and inspire the community, we installed the Founders’ Garden at the Heigold Facade on Frankfort Avenue.
Land Use Agreement (June 2013): Signed an agreement with Metro Louisville to formally commit the property for the botanical garden. The agreement also provides a path for Botanica’s future purchase of the property.
Environmental Assessment (October 2013) : Completed a comprehensive assessment of the site and gained agreement by the Superfund Branch of the Kentucky Division of Waste Management.
Design Team Selection(January 2014): Selected Perkins+Will to complete the Master Plan design for the future garden.
Master Plan(November 2014): Finalized the Master Plan for the future gardens.
The completion of the Master Plan is a significant step in our journey, but our work is by no means done. In the coming months, we’ll be preparing ourselves for the next phase of our effort: launching the capital campaign that will raise the funds for construction of the gardens.
We’ve accomplished so much together! All of our work has been made possible through your generous support. We hope you will continue to support Botanica and the garden project as we head in to these next exciting stages!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Homegrown National Park
Location: Toronto, ON
Website: www.davidsuzuki.org
Inspired by Richard Louv and Douglas Tallamy, in 2013 we embarked on a mission to establish the world's first "Homegrown National Park" by crowd-sourcing a vibrant green corridor along the former path of Garrison Creek in the City of Toronto.
In the project's first year, our 21 volunteer Neighbourhood Park Rangers helped partner organizations to spur more than a dozen creative green interventions, from pothole planters and canoe gardens to butterfly friendly schoolyards and "parkify-ing" a residential street.
In 2014 we are aiming to deepen and expand the project to adjacent neighbourhoods in the Greater Garrison Creek area. We will begin connecting with community groups this winter and plan to train another crop of Park Rangers in the spring. Find out more by reading stories below, and stay tuned by joining our Facebook page.
If you're interested in getting involved or learning more, feel free to contact project leader Jode Roberts.
Website: www.davidsuzuki.org
Inspired by Richard Louv and Douglas Tallamy, in 2013 we embarked on a mission to establish the world's first "Homegrown National Park" by crowd-sourcing a vibrant green corridor along the former path of Garrison Creek in the City of Toronto.
In the project's first year, our 21 volunteer Neighbourhood Park Rangers helped partner organizations to spur more than a dozen creative green interventions, from pothole planters and canoe gardens to butterfly friendly schoolyards and "parkify-ing" a residential street.
In 2014 we are aiming to deepen and expand the project to adjacent neighbourhoods in the Greater Garrison Creek area. We will begin connecting with community groups this winter and plan to train another crop of Park Rangers in the spring. Find out more by reading stories below, and stay tuned by joining our Facebook page.
If you're interested in getting involved or learning more, feel free to contact project leader Jode Roberts.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
PARK(ing) Day
Location: Nationwide
Website: www.parkingday.org
PARK(ing) Day is a annual open-source global event where citizens, artists and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into “PARK(ing)” temporary public places.
The project began in 2005 when Rebar, a San Francisco art and design studio, converted a single metered parking space into a temporary public park in downtown San Francisco.
Since 2005, PARK(ing) Day has evolved into a global movement, with organizations and individuals (operating independently of Rebar but following an established set of guidelines) creating new forms of temporary public space in urban contexts around the world.
The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat … at least until the meter runs out!
A brief history of PARK(ing) Day -
Rebar’s original PARK(ing) project in 2005 transformed a single metered parking space into a temporary public park in an area of San Francisco that the city had designated as lacking public open space.
The great majority of San Francisco’s downtown outdoor space is dedicated to movement and storage of private vehicles, while only a fraction of that space is allocated to serve a broader range of public needs. Paying the meter of a parking space enables one to lease precious urban real estate on a short-term basis.
The PARK(ing) project was created to explore the the range of possible activities for this short-term lease, and to provoke a critical examination of the values that generate the form of urban public space.
The original PARK(ing) Day installation by Rebar, San Francisco 2005". Our original PARK stood in place for two hours – the term of the lease offered on the face of the parking meter. When the meter expired, we rolled up the sod, packed away the bench and the tree, and gave the block a good sweep, and left. A few weeks later, as a single iconic photo of the intervention (left) traveled across the web, Rebar began receiving requests to create the PARK(ing) project in other cities. Rather than replicate the same installation, we decided to promote the project as an “open-source” project, and created a how-to manual to empower people to create their own parks without the active participation of Rebar. And thus “PARK(ing) Day” was born.
PARK(ing) Day has since been adapted and remixed to address a variety of social issues in diverse urban contexts around the world, and the project continues to expand to include interventions and experiments well beyond the basic “tree-bench-sod” park typology first modeled by Rebar.
In recent years, participants have built free health clinics, planted temporary urban farms, produced ecology demonstrations, held political seminars, built art installations, opened free bike repair shops and even held a wedding ceremony! All this in the context of this most modest urban territory – the metered parking space.
And this is the true power of the open-source model: organizers identify specific community needs and values and use the event to draw attention to issues that are important to their local public—everything from experimentation and play to acts of generosity and kindness, to political issues such as water rights, labor equity, health care and marriage equality.
All of these interventions, irrespective of where they fall on the political spectrum, support the original vision of PARK(ing) Day: to challenge existing notions of public urban space and empower people to help redefine space to suit specific community needs.
In addition to being quite a bit of fun, PARK(ing) Day has effectively re-valued the metered parking space as an important part of the commons – a site for generosity, cultural expression, socializing and play. And although the project is temporary, we hope PARK(ing) Day inspires you to participate in the civic processes that permanently alter the urban landscape.
Website: www.parkingday.org
PARK(ing) Day is a annual open-source global event where citizens, artists and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into “PARK(ing)” temporary public places.
The project began in 2005 when Rebar, a San Francisco art and design studio, converted a single metered parking space into a temporary public park in downtown San Francisco.
Since 2005, PARK(ing) Day has evolved into a global movement, with organizations and individuals (operating independently of Rebar but following an established set of guidelines) creating new forms of temporary public space in urban contexts around the world.
The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat … at least until the meter runs out!
A brief history of PARK(ing) Day -
Rebar’s original PARK(ing) project in 2005 transformed a single metered parking space into a temporary public park in an area of San Francisco that the city had designated as lacking public open space.
The great majority of San Francisco’s downtown outdoor space is dedicated to movement and storage of private vehicles, while only a fraction of that space is allocated to serve a broader range of public needs. Paying the meter of a parking space enables one to lease precious urban real estate on a short-term basis.
The PARK(ing) project was created to explore the the range of possible activities for this short-term lease, and to provoke a critical examination of the values that generate the form of urban public space.
The original PARK(ing) Day installation by Rebar, San Francisco 2005". Our original PARK stood in place for two hours – the term of the lease offered on the face of the parking meter. When the meter expired, we rolled up the sod, packed away the bench and the tree, and gave the block a good sweep, and left. A few weeks later, as a single iconic photo of the intervention (left) traveled across the web, Rebar began receiving requests to create the PARK(ing) project in other cities. Rather than replicate the same installation, we decided to promote the project as an “open-source” project, and created a how-to manual to empower people to create their own parks without the active participation of Rebar. And thus “PARK(ing) Day” was born.
PARK(ing) Day has since been adapted and remixed to address a variety of social issues in diverse urban contexts around the world, and the project continues to expand to include interventions and experiments well beyond the basic “tree-bench-sod” park typology first modeled by Rebar.
In recent years, participants have built free health clinics, planted temporary urban farms, produced ecology demonstrations, held political seminars, built art installations, opened free bike repair shops and even held a wedding ceremony! All this in the context of this most modest urban territory – the metered parking space.
And this is the true power of the open-source model: organizers identify specific community needs and values and use the event to draw attention to issues that are important to their local public—everything from experimentation and play to acts of generosity and kindness, to political issues such as water rights, labor equity, health care and marriage equality.
All of these interventions, irrespective of where they fall on the political spectrum, support the original vision of PARK(ing) Day: to challenge existing notions of public urban space and empower people to help redefine space to suit specific community needs.
In addition to being quite a bit of fun, PARK(ing) Day has effectively re-valued the metered parking space as an important part of the commons – a site for generosity, cultural expression, socializing and play. And although the project is temporary, we hope PARK(ing) Day inspires you to participate in the civic processes that permanently alter the urban landscape.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
New Yorkers for Parks
Location: New York, NY
Website: www.ny4p.org
New Yorkers for Parks conducts research and develops tangible policy recommendations around our findings related to park development, management and sustainability. Using this research as a foundation for our advocacy campaigns, NY4P drives both immediate actions and long-term policies that protect and enhance the city’s vast network of parks, ensure adequate and equitable distribution of open space resources to all neighborhoods, and inform and empower communities throughout New York City to advocate for their open space needs.
To support our efforts,NY4P builds and maintains strategic partnerships with government officials and agencies, local parks groups and conservancies, academic institutions, and other key stakeholders in the public and private sectors.
Our guiding principles are:
- Open spaces, and the resources to support them, should beequitably distributed,
- Existing parks and open spaces should be well-maintained,
- Parks are an essential public service and should be primarily funded by public dollars, and
- Innovative financing strategies for creating, improving, and maintaining open space should be explored to augment public dollars.
Website: www.ny4p.org
New Yorkers for Parks conducts research and develops tangible policy recommendations around our findings related to park development, management and sustainability. Using this research as a foundation for our advocacy campaigns, NY4P drives both immediate actions and long-term policies that protect and enhance the city’s vast network of parks, ensure adequate and equitable distribution of open space resources to all neighborhoods, and inform and empower communities throughout New York City to advocate for their open space needs.
To support our efforts,NY4P builds and maintains strategic partnerships with government officials and agencies, local parks groups and conservancies, academic institutions, and other key stakeholders in the public and private sectors.
Our guiding principles are:
- Open spaces, and the resources to support them, should beequitably distributed,
- Existing parks and open spaces should be well-maintained,
- Parks are an essential public service and should be primarily funded by public dollars, and
- Innovative financing strategies for creating, improving, and maintaining open space should be explored to augment public dollars.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Help Save Knowland Park!
Location: Oakland, CA
Website: www.saveknowland.org
Knowland Park is a 500-acre wildland park in the Oakland hills, deeded to the city in the 1970s under the condition that it would always remain a park. Located above the Oakland Zoo, which sits on a portion of the property, it is the largest and most pristine of Oakland’s parks, a thriving hotspot for rare native plants and wildlife. But it has never been listed on the city’s Parks website, despite repeated requests.
Thus its amazing natural resources remain relatively undiscovered by the public.
In 2011, the City approved a major “conservation” theme park expansion of the Oakland Zoo into more than 50 acres of sensitive wildlife and rare plant habitat in the undeveloped area of the park. The development would include an aerial gondola ride with 60-foot towers and a three-story ridgetop visitor center, restaurant and gift shop, all approved without a full Environmental Impact Report and over the protests of numerous environmental and citizens’ groups.
Two of these groups, the Friends of Knowland Park and the East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, have filed a lawsuit aimed at forcing the City to complete a full environmental review as required under the California Environmental Quality Act.
A full EIR would require thorough consideration of other alternatives to this destructive and expensive project.
0ur goals are to save the park’s precious habitat for existing wildlife and to protect the remainder of Knowland Park from further development, specifically:
- Ensure preservation of the largest remaining piece of open space owned by the city of Oakland for wildlife habitat, native plants and free public access.
- Dissuade the Zoo from its current ill-conceived expansion plan and work toward a more modest plan that serves an authentic conservation goal: preserving wildlife habitat.
- Reduce or mitigate traffic congestion, noise/light and air pollution impacts on surrounding communities and wildlife.
- Increase community awareness of the threats to open space and wildlife habitat in the South Bay hills and the relationships between the fight to protect Knowland Park and other community concerns.
- Require the City to complete a full Environmental Impact Report.
Website: www.saveknowland.org
Knowland Park is a 500-acre wildland park in the Oakland hills, deeded to the city in the 1970s under the condition that it would always remain a park. Located above the Oakland Zoo, which sits on a portion of the property, it is the largest and most pristine of Oakland’s parks, a thriving hotspot for rare native plants and wildlife. But it has never been listed on the city’s Parks website, despite repeated requests.
Thus its amazing natural resources remain relatively undiscovered by the public.
In 2011, the City approved a major “conservation” theme park expansion of the Oakland Zoo into more than 50 acres of sensitive wildlife and rare plant habitat in the undeveloped area of the park. The development would include an aerial gondola ride with 60-foot towers and a three-story ridgetop visitor center, restaurant and gift shop, all approved without a full Environmental Impact Report and over the protests of numerous environmental and citizens’ groups.
Two of these groups, the Friends of Knowland Park and the East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, have filed a lawsuit aimed at forcing the City to complete a full environmental review as required under the California Environmental Quality Act.
A full EIR would require thorough consideration of other alternatives to this destructive and expensive project.
0ur goals are to save the park’s precious habitat for existing wildlife and to protect the remainder of Knowland Park from further development, specifically:
- Ensure preservation of the largest remaining piece of open space owned by the city of Oakland for wildlife habitat, native plants and free public access.
- Dissuade the Zoo from its current ill-conceived expansion plan and work toward a more modest plan that serves an authentic conservation goal: preserving wildlife habitat.
- Reduce or mitigate traffic congestion, noise/light and air pollution impacts on surrounding communities and wildlife.
- Increase community awareness of the threats to open space and wildlife habitat in the South Bay hills and the relationships between the fight to protect Knowland Park and other community concerns.
- Require the City to complete a full Environmental Impact Report.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
ioby
Location: Nationwide
Website: www.ioby.org
Climate change. Toxic landfills. Shrinking parks—and wildlife.
You care about these things, and you want to pitch in. So you recycle, buy local and use only ‘green’ products. You’re doing your part for the environment. Right?
Sure. Recycling and buying local or green are great. But if you want change that goes deeper—change you can really invest in—what about starting in our backyard?
Welcome to ioby. Together, we represent a new face for change—one that’s hopeful, positive…and visible.
"It’s our backyard, and it belongs to us and our kids." –Brandon Whitney
It started with a legacy of city dwellers. These people—your everyday neighbors—created daily change. They cleaned up lots. Planted trees and gardens. Brought fresh produce to areas that needed it. They got their hands dirty. But few noticed. Joyful as it was, the change was tiny—and isolated. To gain steam, it needed power, money, people and hype. It needed a platform.
Enter ioby. ioby connects change with resources. It enables all of us to invest in change—then see (and live with) the return on our investment. These pages aren’t glamorous. There are no celebrities, no large-scale protests. There are everyday neighbors taking small steps—bringing sunlight, open space, fresh food and greenery into our backyards.
Small steps have big impact. They can ripple through the city. To us, that’s real—and it goes far. It goes beyond your intentions, beyond the abstract, beyond the simple ‘click.’ Take a look around! Pick a project close to your home or your heart—and help us spread the word.
ioby is an environmental nonprofit organization. Our name is derived from the opposite of NIMBY. We have a mission to deepen civic engagement in cities by connecting individuals directly to community-led, neighbor-funded environmental projects in their neighborhoods. We do this primarily through our web-based crowd-resourcing platform.
Crowd-resourcing is a made-up word combining the concepts of crowd-funding (the ability to pool small donations made online to a specific cause or project) and resource organizing (a core tenet of community organizing that considers activists and advocates the best supporters to ensure financial sustainability of a cause or project). We believe that crowd-resourcing is a powerful way to build support and ensure success of a project.
Website: www.ioby.org
Climate change. Toxic landfills. Shrinking parks—and wildlife.
You care about these things, and you want to pitch in. So you recycle, buy local and use only ‘green’ products. You’re doing your part for the environment. Right?
Sure. Recycling and buying local or green are great. But if you want change that goes deeper—change you can really invest in—what about starting in our backyard?
Welcome to ioby. Together, we represent a new face for change—one that’s hopeful, positive…and visible.
"It’s our backyard, and it belongs to us and our kids." –Brandon Whitney
It started with a legacy of city dwellers. These people—your everyday neighbors—created daily change. They cleaned up lots. Planted trees and gardens. Brought fresh produce to areas that needed it. They got their hands dirty. But few noticed. Joyful as it was, the change was tiny—and isolated. To gain steam, it needed power, money, people and hype. It needed a platform.
Enter ioby. ioby connects change with resources. It enables all of us to invest in change—then see (and live with) the return on our investment. These pages aren’t glamorous. There are no celebrities, no large-scale protests. There are everyday neighbors taking small steps—bringing sunlight, open space, fresh food and greenery into our backyards.
Small steps have big impact. They can ripple through the city. To us, that’s real—and it goes far. It goes beyond your intentions, beyond the abstract, beyond the simple ‘click.’ Take a look around! Pick a project close to your home or your heart—and help us spread the word.
ioby is an environmental nonprofit organization. Our name is derived from the opposite of NIMBY. We have a mission to deepen civic engagement in cities by connecting individuals directly to community-led, neighbor-funded environmental projects in their neighborhoods. We do this primarily through our web-based crowd-resourcing platform.
Crowd-resourcing is a made-up word combining the concepts of crowd-funding (the ability to pool small donations made online to a specific cause or project) and resource organizing (a core tenet of community organizing that considers activists and advocates the best supporters to ensure financial sustainability of a cause or project). We believe that crowd-resourcing is a powerful way to build support and ensure success of a project.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Philadelphia Parks Alliance
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Website: www.philaparks.org
The mission of the Philadelphia Parks Alliance is to champion the public’s interest in outstanding parks, recreation and open spaces, key to making Philadelphia a healthy, vibrant and sustainable city for all.
The Parks Alliance’s vision of a great city is one with great parks and interconnected green spaces. The Parks Alliance leads the diverse and expanding citizens’ movement which shapes public policies required to build the nation’s premier parks and recreation system.
The Philadelphia Parks Alliance will strive to become a primary advocate and information resource for parks and open space in our city. We are committed to building a strong and unified parks and open space coalition that will advocate for all citizens.
We will endeavor to create strategic and collaborative alliances with government and with organizations that care about our parks and open space.
Our membership and board will be broadly representative of the demographics of our city. Collaboration will be the hallmark of our interaction with others.
We will be a fiscally sound and responsible organization.
The Philadelphia Parks Alliance is:
- Effective: We establish and achieve goals that will contribute to constructive change.
- Inclusive: We welcome contributions and input from others. We strive to remain open to different points of view within the context of our mission and priorities.
- Dedicated: We are willing to do what it takes to be effective.
- A Model of Integrity: We act with honesty, directness, conviction, and determination.
- Bold: We are forward thinking, willing to think and act creatively, to question the status quo. We are oriented toward taking action, even courageous action.
Website: www.philaparks.org
The mission of the Philadelphia Parks Alliance is to champion the public’s interest in outstanding parks, recreation and open spaces, key to making Philadelphia a healthy, vibrant and sustainable city for all.
The Parks Alliance’s vision of a great city is one with great parks and interconnected green spaces. The Parks Alliance leads the diverse and expanding citizens’ movement which shapes public policies required to build the nation’s premier parks and recreation system.
The Philadelphia Parks Alliance will strive to become a primary advocate and information resource for parks and open space in our city. We are committed to building a strong and unified parks and open space coalition that will advocate for all citizens.
We will endeavor to create strategic and collaborative alliances with government and with organizations that care about our parks and open space.
Our membership and board will be broadly representative of the demographics of our city. Collaboration will be the hallmark of our interaction with others.
We will be a fiscally sound and responsible organization.
The Philadelphia Parks Alliance is:
- Effective: We establish and achieve goals that will contribute to constructive change.
- Inclusive: We welcome contributions and input from others. We strive to remain open to different points of view within the context of our mission and priorities.
- Dedicated: We are willing to do what it takes to be effective.
- A Model of Integrity: We act with honesty, directness, conviction, and determination.
- Bold: We are forward thinking, willing to think and act creatively, to question the status quo. We are oriented toward taking action, even courageous action.
Monday, December 3, 2012
ParkScore
Location: Nationwide
Website: www.parkscore.org
ParkScore is the most comprehensive rating system ever developed to measure how well the 40 largest U.S. cities are meeting the need for parks.
Using an advanced GIS (Geographic Information System), ParkScore provides in-depth data to guide local park improvement efforts. Our mapping technology identifies which neighborhoods and demographics are underserved by parks and how many people are able to reach a park within a ten-minute walk.
Cities can earn a maximum ParkScore of 100. For easy comparison and at-a-glance assessment, each city is also given a rating of zero to five park benches.
Parks are important to communities. Close-to-home opportunities to exercise and experience nature are essential for our physical and mental well-being. Studies show that parks can encourage physical activity, reduce crime, revitalize local economies, and help bring neighborhoods together.
Website: www.parkscore.org
ParkScore is the most comprehensive rating system ever developed to measure how well the 40 largest U.S. cities are meeting the need for parks.
Using an advanced GIS (Geographic Information System), ParkScore provides in-depth data to guide local park improvement efforts. Our mapping technology identifies which neighborhoods and demographics are underserved by parks and how many people are able to reach a park within a ten-minute walk.
Cities can earn a maximum ParkScore of 100. For easy comparison and at-a-glance assessment, each city is also given a rating of zero to five park benches.
Parks are important to communities. Close-to-home opportunities to exercise and experience nature are essential for our physical and mental well-being. Studies show that parks can encourage physical activity, reduce crime, revitalize local economies, and help bring neighborhoods together.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
CIty Parks Alliance
Location: Nationwide
Website: www.cityparksalliance.org
The Alliance is a national organization comprised of city parks leaders from across the country who work together to strengthen America's city parks. The organization has been in formation over the past several years in response to a broad-based movement of city park advocates who recognize the critical role parks play in the revitalization of our cities.
The mission of City Parks Alliance is to create vibrant and healthy parks and green spaces that contribute to sustainable cities by organizing, facilitating and nurturing a broad-based movement.
A group of parks administrators and advocates began meeting in August 1999 to establish greater collaboration and discuss the formation of a new national entity. A little over a year later while meeting in Philadelphia, this group endorsed the creation of the City Parks Alliance on October 23, 2000.
The group's creation is an outgrowth of the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds' Urban Parks Initiative, which helped establish a network of top non-profit and public-sector urban parks organizations, and city parks and recreation agencies. City Parks Alliance was established in June of 2002 as a 501 (c) (3) organization.
Website: www.cityparksalliance.org
The Alliance is a national organization comprised of city parks leaders from across the country who work together to strengthen America's city parks. The organization has been in formation over the past several years in response to a broad-based movement of city park advocates who recognize the critical role parks play in the revitalization of our cities.
The mission of City Parks Alliance is to create vibrant and healthy parks and green spaces that contribute to sustainable cities by organizing, facilitating and nurturing a broad-based movement.
A group of parks administrators and advocates began meeting in August 1999 to establish greater collaboration and discuss the formation of a new national entity. A little over a year later while meeting in Philadelphia, this group endorsed the creation of the City Parks Alliance on October 23, 2000.
The group's creation is an outgrowth of the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds' Urban Parks Initiative, which helped establish a network of top non-profit and public-sector urban parks organizations, and city parks and recreation agencies. City Parks Alliance was established in June of 2002 as a 501 (c) (3) organization.
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