It is summertime so let’s talk about the great outdoors and how communities of all shapes and sizes are using placemaking techniques to build capacity in public spaces. Below are two great case studies. One is from a smaller town. The other is from a big city. Both provide lessons on how to make our own places even better. Click the links below for the stories, which have been provided by the Michigan Municipal League.
“The Noquemanon Trails Network (NTN) was enhanced to cater to off-road bicyclists, expanding the recreational tourism brand of the area and establishing the city of Marquette as a national destination for cyclists—yielding impressive economic results for the private sector.”
Summer Fun in Clark Park
“While other Detroit recreational centers have closed and struggled, this grassroots, nonprofit coalition has grown to offer positive activities for nearly a thousand neighborhood youth each year. The Clark Park Coalition now offers one of the nation’s only free inner-city hockey programs, as well as quality soccer, baseball, softball, and tennis activities, in addition to providing summer and after-school youth programming.”