Ian Goodenough MP’s Post

Given what we know about the absolutely essential benefits of close access to nature and natural playspace for our own wellbeing, and that of our children, it’s astonishing that #BirminghamCityCouncil can entirely overlook its own open space policy on a vast site such as this. Of course it’s unrealistic to meet the full requirements on such a dense development, but for the proposed scheme to meet only 12% of that required by policy? In a city centre with a 32ha deficit already in public open space for its resident population. Virtually every residential scheme built in the city centre can justify offseting its obligations regarding green space because of limitations of their sites. This is not the case here! #CityPark4Brum is asking for just 25% of this vast site- mainly publicly owned land- to stay that way. So many of us in #Brum enjoy the legacy of our city’s green space pioneers - Chamberlain, Ryland, Cadbury. So where’s today’s ambition? #TownandCountryPlanningAssociation #Planning #ChildFriendlyCities

Local Hero Builds Park Steps for $550 After Council Estimates $150,000 Toronto, ON — When Adi Astl, a retired mechanic and Toronto resident, saw the need for a simple set of stairs in his local park, he was shocked by the city's response. The Toronto City Council had estimated that installing a set of stairs at Tom Riley Park would cost between $65,000 and $150,000. When the estimate was revised to $10,000, the price tag still seemed exorbitant to Astl, who couldn't understand why such a straightforward project would come with such a hefty price. Rather than waiting for the city to act, Astl decided to take matters into his own hands. With the help of a local homeless man, he spent just $550 on materials and built a functional set of eight wooden steps himself. The stairs, though simple, provided a much-needed solution for park-goers who had been navigating a steep, slippery slope to access the garden area. The story quickly garnered attention, sparking a public debate over government spending, efficiency, and the role of individual action in solving community issues. Many residents praised Astl for his initiative, pointing out the absurdity of the city’s initial cost estimates. The steps, however, did not meet the city’s safety standards. Citing concerns over liability and the lack of adherence to building codes, the city removed the steps shortly after they were installed. Despite this, the incident had a lasting impact. The city eventually installed a more permanent set of stairs at a much lower cost than initially estimated. Astl's actions catalyzed the city to reconsider its approach to small community projects, highlighting the disconnect between bureaucratic processes and the needs of residents. "I thought they were making too big a deal out of it," Astl said in an interview. "I figured I could do it myself for much less, and it turns out I was right." The story of Adi Astl's $550 park steps resonates as a powerful example of how individual initiative can challenge government inefficiency and bring about change. While the incident led to questions about safety and standards, it underscored the importance of practical, community-driven solutions. This story shows how out of tune the cost of projects is with the actual cost. At $75,000 per meter of bike track, you can be assured that the price should be no more than a tenth of that. It is time to band together and stop this wasteful expenditure before it cripples Canada

Country park and 130 homes proposed for Hampshire site 🏘️🤔 Bargate Homes Ltd has submitted an outline planning application for a new country park and 130 homes on a site at Overton in Hampshire. If approved, the country park would take up more than half of the 19-hectare site. Located west of Sapley Lane, the proposed housing development would create 130 mixed-tenure new homes with 40 per cent allocated for affordable housing. They would be delivered by VIVID – the parent company of Bargate Homes. The 15-hectare country park is set to be a multifunctional public green space. It would support a range of activities, including natural play areas for young children, and seating areas. New planting of native trees and shrubs is proposed, as well as the rewilding of areas to promote and enhance local biodiversity. Continue reading... https://lnkd.in/eGwHk6xt #housebuilder #property #construction #park #planning #residentialproperty #hantsnews #hantshour #businessnews #businessintelligence

New York’s parks, playgrounds, and open spaces have experienced record usage in recent years and have become even more vital to the health of New Yorkers—and more critical to the city’s economic future. But for years if not decades, New York City has struggled to provide sufficient funding for its parks. To help solve this chronic funding shortfall, my colleagues and I at the Center for an Urban Future published a new report today that puts forward 20 creative ideas for generating revenues to pay for New York City’s growing parks and open space needs. The ideas in our report—including a new $1 surcharge on tickets sold at stadiums located on parkland; adding 10 new restaurants and destination-worthy concessions in parks across the five boroughs; a fee on gas-powered leaf blowers and landscaping; and a program to monetize organic waste from parks, including turning fallen trees into commercial lumber—provide city leaders with multiple options for establishing dedicated revenue streams for parks at a time of when parks face significant maintenance needs, and when new parks and open spaces are needed in underserved communities. Check out our report, “Paying for the Growing Needs of NYC’s Parks,” which was written by John Surico and Eli Dvorkin. https://lnkd.in/ezyPGgXc

The team at Reimagine Place has been asked to write a regular column in The Landscaper magazine. For the column, I've explored the world of parklets—those innovative small public spaces that can transform urban areas if used well. In my piece, I discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of parklets, providing some thoughts to ensure they add value without becoming unmaintained eyesores. It's clear that with the right planning and community engagement, parklets can be vibrant hubs that bring people together and bring something different to neighbourhoods. Check out the full article below and check out The Landscaper Magazine for more information. We have all seen bad examples, but I'd love to see some great examples that you've found. https://lnkd.in/eGUaXbE5 Read the full magazine here: https://lnkd.in/e7bENxpR #UrbanDesign #PublicRealm #CommunityBuilding #Parklets #ReimaginePlace #Regeneration #LandscapeArchitecture

Just outside of Flint is Grand Blanc. While this suburb isn’t along Michigan’s sought-after coastlines, its access to Genesee County’s 11,000 acres of trails and creeks are impressive. While community members are able to take advantage of the city’s attractive landscapes and plentiful parks—a benefit that not all communities have—housing and revitalized businesses are needed in the downtown area. Wendy Jean-Buhrer, MPA, MBA, Grand Blanc's City Manager, wants downtown to thrive just as much as the parks. Grand Blanc is a small city that hasn’t had many economic incentives, so to achieve the vision of prosperity, redevelopment plans needed to be unique while still addressing the needs of the community. Smaller cities frequently mean fewer resources, but this doesn’t mean community leaders can’t move the needle to make a change when facing such obstacles. The predevelopment assistance partnership connected Grand Blanc’s community leaders to a developer and helped the city receive development funding; however, when the idea of a multi-use building was first presented, it wasn’t initially given the green light. The developer wanted to see a larger development than what was planned. A great deal of land was available for purchase, and to make the impact the city wanted, they had to go big. Patience and extra steps were required to reimagine, revise, and replan the city’s new development—all things Jean-Buhrer is grateful to the program for. And how exactly did this reimagining evolve? In the form of the highly anticipated Garden Building. When complete, the 30,000 square foot Garden Building will be exactly what the community has been yearning for. Jean-Buhrer is hopeful the multi-use four-story building with retail, dining, residential, office, and event space will attract tourists and connoisseurs—and it doesn’t hurt that in addition to all the perks this space will offer, there is a planned European-style biergarten that will have a perfect view of Physician’s Park and will be the first biergarten in Genesee County. Through our relationships with local leaders, education, counsel, and partner networks, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan Municipal League continue to support communities across the state in setting the tone for investment that advances local priorities. To dig deeper into the predevelopment assistance report, download a copy for yourself at https://lnkd.in/gtKdbax6. Find out more information about Redevelopment Services at https://lnkd.in/gkgxWViy #RRC #RRCommunities

Looking for large and small examples of privately (co-)funded investments and/or maintenance of public green: parks, trees, forests, etc. A very large example is Bryant Park, New York City: A green oasis, Bryant Park is located in midtown Manhattan, between 41st and 42nd Sts. and Fifth and Sixth Aves. Built in 1911, the eight-acre park abuts the New York Public Library and serves as a haven for office workers from the nearby highrise buildings. In the 1970's, however, the park was suffering from deferred maintenance by a beleaguered City Parks Department, and had deteriorated into a haunt of drug dealers and users. Beginning in 1980, the park underwent extensive re-design and restoration, and is now one of the most active and loved spaces in New York City. Capital investment: The $18 million park redesign/restoration was completed in 1995, after almost 15 years of planning. It was funded from a combination of grants, BID assessments, state bond funds, city capital funds, and private venture capital. More recent improvements of the park include a $160,000 restroom renovation and a $5 million investment in construction of the Bryant Park Grill. On a yearly basis, 400 chairs must be replaced from wear-and-tear, as well as the 6-8 that are stolen. BPRC keeps the number of chairs in the park stable at around 2,000. In addition, it has also undertaken the task of improving park elements long left in disrepair, including sidewalks, bluestone paths, limestone balustrade, etc. Owned by: New York City Parks Department. The City grants permits for events at the park and provides landmark oversight. Managed by: The Bryant Park Restoration Corp. (BPRC), a business improvement district (BID). During the summer, the park employs about 55 people who managing security, sanitation, gardening and special events.

A great article regarding the importance of Maintstreets. Some good take aways from Dorian Moore, vice-president of Detroit-based Archive DS design studio, -“The first is the building, especially historic buildings that are assets and need to be upgraded or saved from the wrecking ball. -The second is public space; the street is a primary public space, but attention also needs to be given to parks, playgrounds and plazas that attract people to the street, -The third concern is mobility; in a shift to bicycling and ride sharing, we have to address their access. -And finally, connectivity: The main street needs to be easy to access from the community around it.” check it out https://lnkd.in/d7CTBH_F

Great things continue to happen in the Town of Clarksville, Indiana! We are proud to have been part of the South Clarksville Redevelopment Plan that helped set the groundwork for this success. In the plan, Development Strategies' identified a significant opportunity for housing and destination retail and leisure uses that could be oriented around a new town center and connected to a revitalized waterfront. Several years later, that vision is methodically becoming reality. This plan was led by MKSK. Momentum includes: - $7 million riverfront riverfront improvement project on the Ohio River Scenic Byway (currently under construction) - $5.5 million project to widen the floodwall and expand views and access to the Ohio River - Multiple mixed-use developments with housing, office, restaurant, retail and co-working spaces, including Bolt + Tie, Current812 and The George - Selected as preferred location for a new Southern Indiana Conference Center, with $226 million investment in the works for a luxury hotel, conference center and rooftop restaurant - New Main Street was completed alongside a new $22 million mixed-use development at the former Bolt and Tie site - Completed infrastructure improvements and $5 million for a new street grid as part of a planned neighborhood development The Town continues to make great strides in the transformation of its industrial waterfront into a thriving urban district and gathering place for the community. Learn more about this Plan: https://lnkd.in/gkjkDj94 #Clarksville #Indiana #ImplementationSuccess

Public spaces play a crucial role in the social and economic vitality of communities. As urban areas continue to grow and evolve, the importance of well-designed public spaces becomes increasingly apparent. Read more below: https://lnkd.in/dATntMZH #winstonfield #article #CommunityLiving #publicspaces #living