What is "Placemaking"?
"Placemaking is a people-centered approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces. Put simply, it involves looking at, listening to, and asking questions of the people who live, work and play in a particular space, to discover needs and aspirations. This information is then used to create a common vision for that place. The vision can evolve quickly into an implementation strategy, beginning with small-scale, do-able improvements that can immediately bring benefits to public spaces and the people who use them."
We practice placemaking by learning from our community what goals they have for the physical space in which they live, and then working with them to create public projects and spaces to work towards those goals.
The result of these projects is a greater sense of ownership of the physical space our community inhabits, and increased opportunities for shared community life.
For more information about the placemaking movement, check out
this article from Project for Public Spaces.
The La Mesa Neighborhood Garden Park
The La Mesa Neighborhood Garden Park is a collaboration between several local and city-wide stakeholders to create a public space for art, education, and community building.
The project was inspired by reports from the community that they wanted more public green spaces. The park will occupy an empty lot at 406 Española St NE, that has long been considered an "eye sore."
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The project's primary collaborators East Central Ministries, La Mesa Presbyterian Church, and La Mesa Elementary School. Key partners include the following organizations:
Construction on the park began in 2013, and is still in progress. Plans include an out-door classroom space for teachers at La Mesa Elementary to teach students about plants, community art projects, contoured earth irrigation, and more!
Creation Park
The Creation Park was built in response to comments from community members that they wanted more public spaces for their kids to play. In 2010, thanks to a grant from
KaBOOM!, we tore out the parking lot in front of our warehouse and built this park in its place. The park includes playground equipment, faux boulders built of asphalt chunks from the parking lot, and several art pieces, including a mural of a phoenix, symbolizing new life.
Little Free Library
The
Little Free Library project is an international program in which participants install book receptacles (either simple boxes or intricately designed art pieces) on their property in a public-accessible location, where passersby can take or leave books. The goal is to promote literacy and cultivate a love of reading and storytelling.
We installed our Little Free Library in front of our main office in August 2014. We frequently see passersby stopping to peruse its contents, and walking away with a book in hand.
Feel free to come grab a book, or donate your old books that need a good home!
The Serenity Garden
The Serenity Garden, nestled in the alley between our warehouse and our clinic, was built at the request of one of our counselors, who wanted a calm and pleasant outdoor space in which to work with clients.
Photo credit M. Cormier