Essential Downtown Venues
The Basic Idea. Downtowns are the focal destination of every character town. Main street is the “there there”. For main street to be viable, it needs activity, interesting places where people either want to go or need to go. The public sector, specifically the city, is the lead investor and city hall is the lead […]
Makerspaces as Downtown Assets
Makerspaces have been employed around America as places where people can congregate to learn a trade, perfect a skill and socialize in a setting that is safe, convenient, well-served and productive. The videos and discussion below describe what Makerspaces are and how they are being deployed to use physical spaces and equipment to advance social […]
![“Parks and Recreation System Planning, A New Approach for Creating Sustainable, Resilient Communities” by David Barth, PhD](https://www.charactertowns.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Parks-and-Rec-book-.jpg)
“Parks and Recreation System Planning, A New Approach for Creating Sustainable, Resilient Communities” by David Barth, PhD
FROM CharacterTowns.org… David Barth has provided the city-building professions with a holistic guide for developing a great parks systems while using it to develop a great city. The power of the parks and recreation system to address the full range of social issues is presented in terms of tactics and aspirations. A great and useful […]
![“Public Libraries and Their Communities: An Introduction” by Kay Cassell](https://www.charactertowns.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Public-libraries-book-Kay-Cassell.jpg)
“Public Libraries and Their Communities: An Introduction” by Kay Cassell
From Amazon… Public Libraries and Their Communities: An Introduction provides an overview of public librarianship today. It covers library organization, policy development, staffing, fiscal organization including funding sources and budgets, the legal framework, relationships with local and state governments, advocacy, services and service development for different age groups and for different groups of users, development […]
Contents – December 2023
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![“Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life” by](https://www.charactertowns.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/palaces-for-the-people.jpg)
“Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life” by
“A Paean to public architecture and the buildings and places that bring us together, Eric Klinenberg’s Palaces for the People shows how modest undertakings and subtle, insightful design can strengthen communities. The book makes the connection between the much decried decline of civic life and the spaces that help us support each other—especially in neighborhoods where social connections have been severed by […]
![“The Great Good Places, Cafés, Coffee Shops, Bookstores, Bars, Hair Salons and Other Hangouts at the Heart of a Community” by Ray Oldenburg](https://www.charactertowns.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/The-great-good-place-.jpg)
“The Great Good Places, Cafés, Coffee Shops, Bookstores, Bars, Hair Salons and Other Hangouts at the Heart of a Community” by Ray Oldenburg
Summary. Ray Oldenburg defined a place that defines a community. “Third place” is a concept that serves small cities and towns well as they strive to become and remain place where people want to be; welcoming places between home and work. “The Great Good Place argues that “third places” – where people can gather, put aside the concerns of work […]
Robert E. Park | Sociologist
1864-1944 Robert Park began his career as a reporter for newspapers in Minneapolis, Detroit, Denver, New York, and Chicago, an encounter with journalism that influenced his later work in sociology. Park believed that a sociologist was “a kind of super reporter, like the men who write for Fortune …reporting on the long-term trends which record […]
Main Street: The Ultimate Community ‘Third Place’
THIRD PLACES IN THE 20TH CENTURY. Ray Oldenburg effectively describes gathering spots that serve as third places, especially in small cities and towns. His idea also extends to the “Cheers” bar in bigger cities. Members-only clubs do not qualify. Entry needs to be freely accessible to customers, visitors and a regular clientele, preferably by walking […]
Social Network Theory and Metcalfe’s Law
Networks are essential elements of every city and town. The city planning profession, in my experience, does not study the theory and practice of network design and management anymore than it studies systems or sociology…to the detriment of ourselves and our clients. Social Network Theory [SNT] can be augmented by Metcalfe’s Law, summarized below. Though […]