Activating Spaces and Investing in Community Anchors
Memphis’ civic commons 2022 in pictures
Kick off your new year with inspiration from a dozen cities transforming civic assets to deliver more engaged, equitable and economically and environmentally resilient communities. Today, the eighth in our series of photo essays reflecting on the past year of progress features the civic commons work in Memphis.
Programming for connection
Accessible, high-quality programming is a powerful tool for fostering a civic commons. The goal for all programming is to help guests to feel welcome, engaged, encouraged to try new things and create memorable experiences. All programs are designed with a low — or non-existent — barrier to entry, including no cost, admission fee, or equipment required. Programs are designed with the intent to attract users of different backgrounds to enjoy spending time with one another joyfully.
At each event in the Fourth Bluff, organizers consider the nudges that can encourage interaction between and among people. For example, at the Soulin on the River concerts and Dance Lessons the emcee asks visitors to find a new dance partner, at Sunset Kayak, the DJ orchestrates races and challenges attendees to grab selfies together. Grizzlies NBA watch parties have become a communal event. Firepits are a great equalizer as attendees have no choice other than clustering together around each firepit. Conversation flows naturally as neighbors roast their marshmallows together.
Memphis Parks also expanded their programming offerings across the city in 2022, including the Play Your Park summer program devoted to bringing fun and creative programs to public parks for citizens of all ages to enjoy. The inaugural Spring Break Mane! event provided music, games, food and various activities for the youth in Memphis to engage in while out of school for Spring Break.
The Overton Park Conservancy launched a NatureZen Week featuring programming focused on celebrating the healing power of nature. The events of the week included volunteer-led mindfulness walks in the forest, a nature journaling workshop with local artists, a nature-themed scavenger hunt for students at Carpenter Art Garden.
Investing in community anchors
From the progress of the riverfront’s Tom Lee Park, the Cossitt Library and Accelerate Memphis investments citywide, 2022 boasted improvements to parks, playgrounds and community anchors throughout Memphis.
On the riverfront, construction on Tom Lee Park is more than 60 percent complete, with major park features including the Hyde Canopy, unique MONSTRUM-designed river-themed playground and public artwork emerging.
Other larger construction projects in the past year include the complete renovation of the Gaston Community Center in South Memphis and $9.1 million for Gaisman Community Center and park near The Heights neighborhood in the city core. In addition to Accelerate Memphis investments, corporate funders, including Coke Consolidated / Body Armor, helped to refurbish recreation courts across the city, providing 90 percent of funding for refurbishment of 13 outdoor full basketball courts and two tennis courts.
Collaboration, learning and partnerships for elevated public space management
After several years of being sidelined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our local learning network began traveling again to learn from our peer cities.
Following demonstrations by local conservancies and modeling peer practices for hospitality-oriented staffing, The City of Memphis launched its first Park Ranger program in Spring 2022. The Memphis Civic Commons collaborative hosted a session to facilitate connections among the new ranger manager, local conservancies and other public space managers to share tips, practices and tools for developing and managing similar programs.
Reimagining the Civic Commons is a collaboration of The JPB Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, William Penn Foundation, and local partners.
