Civic Infrastructure Unites Americans

Federal legislators prioritize investments in gathering spaces in communities across the nation

Towpath Freedom 5K runners sprint past the completed Ohio & Erie Canal Summit Lake Trail North Shore Bridge, a key part of the Summit Lake Vision Plan. Image courtesy Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition.

On July 4th, Americans will come together in thousands of communities to share food, enjoy family and friends, and mark the 248th year since the ratification of the Declaration of Independence. While some gatherings will take place in private spaces like backyards, many will occur in local parks, town squares or public streets — civic infrastructure that has been important places of participation, inclusion, protest and celebration for Americans over the past two and a half centuries.

With the passing of the 2024 federal budget earlier this spring, Congress reaffirmed its support for these places, investing millions of dollars in American communities through targeted civic infrastructure projects. Civic infrastructure is the collection of shared public places where Americans come together: our parks, trails, town squares, main streets, play spaces, libraries, and other public gathering spaces. These are the places that define and celebrate a region’s cultural identity, create a sense of belonging, and encourage Americans to gather, connect and better understand each other.

This type of infrastructure investment truly unites Americans, and increasingly, people in communities of all regions and sizes are expressing directly to Congress their desire for stronger civic infrastructure. In many districts their representatives are responding with support and funding. For example, through Community Project Funding (House) and Congressionally Directed Spending (Senate) many members of Congress are prioritizing these investments within the federal domestic funding bill. These commitments are supporting local communities and the outcomes they have identified as important: economic development, wellbeing, public safety, protecting the environment for future generations, and forging strong social and community connections.

In celebration of this national commitment to community and civic spaces, we are sharing just a smattering of the diverse local civic infrastructure projects that have received investments through this year’s federal budget:

A concept rendering of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Cultural Center and Park. Image courtesy Ocmulgee National Park & Preserve Initiative.

Celebrating Indigenous Culture in Macon, Georgia

Project Name: Muscogee (Creek) Nation Cultural Center and Park
Amount: $310,000
Representative: Senator Jon Ossoff (GA)
Recipient: Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority (public)

In Macon, Georgia, Macon-Bibb County and The Muscogee (Creek) Nation are working to elevate Ocmulgee Mounds, the ancestral land of The Muscogee (Creek) Nation, into America’s next national park and preserve. Alongside these efforts is the transformation of the historic Dewitt-McCrary house into an independent cultural center and headquarters for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation in Macon. Visitors will be able to learn more about the past, present and future of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation in this tribal-run and affiliated multipurpose venue.

View of Black River Landing in Lorain, Ohio, adjacent to the proposed redevelopment area on the piers. Images courtesy Main Street Lorain.

Revitalizing a Former Industrial Waterfront in Lorain, Ohio

Project Name: Downtown Lorain Waterfront Revitalization — Sunset Pier Park
Amount: $4,000,000
Representative: Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05)
Recipient: City of Lorain (public)

Located on the shores of Lake Erie, the City of Lorain plans to transform their formerly industrial waterfront into a vibrant lakefront park that generates opportunities for adjacent mixed-use development. With brownfield remediation funding secured, this generational project will provide public access to the lakefront, improve connectivity across the piers and along the shoreline, create new community spaces and enhance fishing access and boat launch areas.

Volunteers install a temporary public space activation project at the John Welsh Fountain as part of the community engagement for the future design with support from Fairmount Park Conservancy, Tiny WPA and landscape architecture firm Nelson Byrd Woltz. Image credit: Albert Yee.

Welcoming Communities into Nature in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Project Name: Centennial Gateway at the Welsh Fountain
Amount: $500,000
Representative: Senator Bob Casey (PA)
Recipient: Fairmount Park Conservancy (nonprofit)

The Centennial Gateway project encompasses the transformation of two acres of city parkland within the Centennial District of West Fairmount Park. Building on a first round of park amenities to this area, improvements to pedestrian and bicycling infrastructure will provide safer access to the park, recover lost connections to the adjacent East Parkside neighborhood and enhance the park gateway and walkways to the popular Please Touch Museum.

In-progress construction of the trail and a rendering of one of the proposed trailheads. Images courtesy East Coast Greenway Alliance.

Connecting Active Transportation for Health and Wellbeing in Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Project Name: New Hampshire Seacoast Greenway Trailheads
Amount: $850,000
Representative: Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01)
Recipient: City of Portsmouth (public)

Portsmouth, New Hampshire is one of eight coastal communities that will be connected by the New Hampshire Seacoast Greenway, which will also link to Maine and Massachusetts via the 3,000 mile East Coast Greenway. As part of these efforts, the City of Portsmouth plans to build a connective section of the greenway from the West End Yards community to Portsmouth Regional Hospital and an adjacent trailhead. This multimodal path will provide greater access to health and wellbeing resources and support connections from the West End to downtown.

From one of the earliest projects at Summit Lake — the beach head to the latest phase of the Summit Lake Vision Plan — a transformed Summit Lake North Shore. Image credit: Tim Fitwater and rendering courtesy Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition.

Bringing Community Vision to Life in Akron, Ohio

Project Name: Akron Civic Commons, Summit Lake Vision Plan
Amount: $1,000,000
Representative: Senator Sherrod Brown (OH)
Recipient: Ohio Erie Canalway Coalition (nonprofit)

The Summit Lake Vision Plan is the latest project in a series of ongoing community efforts to revitalize Summit Lake and the surrounding community through parks, trails and programming. The resident-led work focuses on the renewal of the west and north side of the lake, leveraging increased connectivity through a recently completed loop trail. The project will create accessible and welcoming community gathering spaces, provide improved recreational opportunities on land and water and collectively emphasizes that all residents, regardless of background, deserve high-quality parks for mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Aerial rendering of proposed design for Judge Charles R. Rose Community Park. Image courtesy The Trust for Public Land.

Creating Places to Play and Gather in Dallas, Texas

Project Name: Judge Charles R. Rose Community Park
Amount: $500,000
Representative: Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX-30)
Recipient: The Trust for Public Land (nonprofit)

Working to overcome park access inequity in Dallas, the Judge Charles R. Rose Community Park will increase green space in the historic Highland Hills neighborhood of Dallas, a predominantly Black community and home to Paul Quinn College, the oldest HBCU west of the Mississippi. The new park, currently under construction, celebrates the community-determined themes of community unity and everyday reunion and includes walking trails, innovative play, art, and community gathering spaces and is part of the Five Mile Creek Greenbelt that connects parks, trails, and community amenities across southern Dallas.

A view of sidewalk improvements on First Street in in Cle Elum, Washington. Image courtesy Cle Elum Downtown Association.

Spurring Economic Revitalization in Cle Elum, Washington

Project Name: Cle Elum First Street Downtown Revitalization
Amount: $1,500,000
Representative: Senator Patty Murray (WA)
Recipient: Washington State Department of Transportation (public)

The City of Cle Elum is leveraging downtown revitalization for economic opportunity with improvements to First Street, the city’s historic, commercial thoroughfare. With pedestrian-friendly enhancements and aesthetic upgrades, such as improved street crossings, wayfinding, benches and street trees, the city aims for a safer, more connected experience for residents and visitors to this regional outdoor recreation hub.

As we prepare to celebrate this Thursday, we believe that shared civic infrastructure is a cornerstone for a strong, united nation. It is especially encouraging to see that when members of Congress identify priority projects in their own districts and states, civic infrastructure often rises to the top of their lists. Whether it’s the town square, public waterfront, a regional trail, city park or improved main street, these new investments in civic infrastructure reflect American values of community and shared prosperity that underpin a thriving democratic society.

Reimagining the Civic Commons is a member of Percent for Place — a coalition of local, state, and national nonprofit organizations that advocates for greater federal funding for civic infrastructure. Our goal is for a percentage of federal spending to be dedicated to civic infrastructure, to provide an ongoing, reliable stream of funding for high-quality, shared assets in communities across the country.