How a Seasonal Space Can Grow Impact
What can be done to reimagine an alley? Let’s look at an Indiana story.
It’s often said, “little things mean a lot.” When talking about a community, sometimes those “little things” are our perceptions of how we view space, what we believe will always be, and what we can do together. With a vision and a few dollars donated from community members, the little things can have a huge impact but none more so than when talking about alleys.
Alleys — Connecting Places, Inspiring Ideas
In most cities, alleys are perceived as the realm of cars, trash, and crime — they rarely feel welcoming and are definitely not a place where anything good can happen. But, communities are finding connective and creative uses for these under-respected spaces. So, if you’re looking for an ally in this type of reuse, meet Justin Taylor of Warsaw, Indiana.
The Assistant City Planner in the town of just over 14,700 people said their alley transformation started in 2013 with some Ball State University students drawing up public space plans. After a few years of discussions, some renderings, and public input, the City of Warsaw decided to create an alley improvement project to give the community an opportunity to connect with each other. Taylor said the idea was to upgrade an alley with seating, sunshade, public wi-fi, greenery, bike parking, and art wall that would shift it into a welcoming destination and true downtown asset.
You might have noticed the first thing on the list is a little thing - seating. But, it can be very important when it comes to creating a public space where people will linger, engage, and connect and one where people will not. Seating, much like the chairs or a couch in your home, says “welcome, relax, take your time.” But, unlike your couch at home, enjoying seating in a public space allows for social and community connections to develop because it’s only through time in a public space are those connections and, in turn, community is made.
According to Taylor, the decision on which alley to choose to create the new public space was easy. The alley next to city hall was chosen because it would connect to a parking lot and city hall plaza which was already a magnet for downtown events and food trucks. The most obvious thing missing from the space was seating which meant it was uncomfortable for people to stop and linger at events with friends and family. So, adding seating options to the alley was a perfect way to improve events. This allowed the alley to serve those needs while giving people an opportunity to walk to, from, and through the area.
Campaign Planning: or Who to Ask for a Few Bucks
Taylor and his team understood that their $50,000 crowdfunding goal, necessary to unlock a matching $50,000 from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority under its “CreatINg Places” program, would not be a sprint but a marathon. Keeping this mind, Taylor said the campaigners the project team started with a spreadsheet of which community members might be able or willing to give at a higher level — say, $1,000 or above — to help to make such a project happen.
To test the waters with the idea, Taylor said outreach to likely donors started early and about 10% of the goal was pledged before the online campaign officially began. So, when the campaign went live on Patronicity, friends and neighbors could see the funding was flowing and they were invited to join in to help make it happen.
During the campaign, Taylor said they were surprised by the mix of donors as some gave more than expected, others not as much, while area businesses were inspired to support, and members of the community gave & shared the effort through their social media accounts. Regardless of what was given, all donors were sent “thank you” letters for their generosity. Since the Warsaw Alley had excellent renderings giving detail to where the funding would go, along with ways the community would be able to engage — including an art wall showing of the talent of local youth — donors were able to envision themselves in the space they were building together. Adding to those campaign elements, Taylor said having a good marketing plan in place with people willing to share the story through their respective channels was key to the alley’s funding success.
Creating an Inspiration Together
Beyond throwing a few dollars at something, Taylor said the local coffee shop next to the alley stepped up to help keep an eye on it and keep it tidy. Since the space has been used for about two years, the city is also seeing how it is inspiring others when it comes to using public space and sidewalks.
“We’ve also seen a lot of other businesses, because of this project, are wanting to have outdoor seating in front of their restaurant… it’s really opened the eyes of what a sidewalk or an alley can be in our downtown,” said Taylor.
What Warsaw has discovered is this seasonal space, with seating and greenery available from spring through fall since project opened in 2017, has become a catalyst for new ideas like sidewalk seating at nearby local restaurants, the possibility of another alley receiving a similar makeover, and the new courthouse square redevelopment campaign.
Regardless of what happens next Taylor said the coming winter season, when cars can access the alley and most of the non-permanent features, like seating, are removed, will give locals another cold season of looking forward to spring’s arrival and the new community opportunities that can blossom with the flowers & the trees.
Let’s Re-envision Your Alley
At Patronicity, we know innovative organizations that sponsor match programs, like Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, as well as those who creative great community projects to improve their neighborhoods on the local level are setting a new standard for neighborhood engagement and improvement. Do you have a project that connects like Justin and the Warsaw Alley? We’d love to hear about it and we know you can do it because Patronicity is here to help.
Let’s talk!
Learn more and get in touch at https://www.patronicity.com
