5 Steps to Activating Your Neighborhood This Weekend
What is your neighborhood known for? A strength or asset? A weakness or liability? Whether it is something positive that should be celebrated or something negative in need of a response, it is often easy to get overwhelmed with the enormity of the task at hand. Our minds understandably wander to the big fixes such as the schools or crumbling streets while in the meantime very little gets done, leading to even more frustrations and so on. Other times, we may have some of the resources to enact change but are nervous of doing the wrong thing, leading to paralysis and infighting. But what if instead of waiting for some outside entity to come in with the 'big fix' or nixing ideas out of fear we could try ideas in real time and begin to change our own story? What if we could get that started over the course of just one weekend?
We don't just believe this is possible, we know it is possible. And it's possible for every community, no matter where you are or what stage of regeneration you're witnessing.
Each neighborhood is operating within a unique context, so the questions of 'who' or 'what' are particular to where you live. The how, on the other hand, follows a more regular pattern that can be tailored to the personality of a place.
STEP 1: DIAGNOSIS
Take a walk with your neighbors. What do you see around you? Is there a strong aspect to the neighborhood that could use a little attention? Is there a part of the neighborhood that has fallen into neglect: an empty and weeded up lot or an underused street? Is there a lack of family friendly or kid friendly spaces? Is traffic going too fast or does a part of the neighborhood feel unsafe? As you share your observations, hone in on where you see the need.
This is the "why" of what you are setting out to do.
STEP 2: SPACE
As you continue on with your walk, begin to take note of the places where your group pauses to discuss something or point to a particular aspect of the neighborhood. Hand waving and pointing is usually a good sign that you've arrived at a special place. The most successful of these places are small and well-defined spaces that feel well occupied with even a small number of people. Think of these spaces as an outdoor room that just needs a little TLC. The intent of your activation also informs your selection. There may be a functional requirement of your use that gives the space some form or location criteria that must be met.
More critical, however, is that the space and the take over you envision should be positioned in such a way that your success can breed future successes. Vacant or under-utilized buildings, nearby development sites, or streets that can gradually transform are good neighbors for the right space. Once you've found something, confirm that you can temporarily-and-legally take over the space.
STEP 3: PARTNERS
When your walk is complete, try to keep everyone around for a bit longer. Buy them a drink if you're out or have some pizza brought to the front porch. You've determined a place that needs attention. Now is the time to identify the one or two things that you can do to reactivate that spot. Is it a cleanup party or a food truck rally? A bench to sit on, a traffic calming, on-street parklet or a micro street festival? Who amongst the community is needed to make it happen? What skills and materials can people bring? What can the neighborhood civic group(s) provide? Who is going to bring food, beverages, and/or music? Does anyone have access to resources outside of the neighborhood that can be brought to bear (hardware stores are a particularly good asset)? Pick the day you're going to make the reactivation happen and set partner assignments to meet that deadline.
STEP 4: BROADCAST
This is probably the right time to remind ourselves to start small. After all, the Five Points Biergarten started as a small thank you party for alley cleanup volunteers. So when thinking how to get attention to the reactivation, simply inviting your partners and their family and friends is a great start.
Encourage those that come to take to their phones and tweet, post and instagram. Maybe create a hashtag. Lean on whomever are the neighborhood storytellers to tap into the soul of what is going on. Give the place a name.
STEP 5: EVALUATE & REPEAT
As your neighborhood reactivation effort comes to an end, begin to evaluate with your cleanup crew initial observations of how things went. What worked? Who or what was missing?
Don't be afraid to tinker with the idea and add, subtract, or substitute pieces. Set a time to repeat the event with the changes you discussed. You never know what traditions will emerge!
