Collaborating for a Citywide Commons
Memphis’ civic commons 2021 in pictures
The past year has served to reconfirm the importance of a robust, nature-rich public realm that is welcoming to all. From health and wellbeing to environmental and economic resiliency, our parks, trails, libraries and community centers are critical civic infrastructure that provide multi-faceted benefits for communities. Today, the seventh in our series of photo essays reflecting on public space efforts in cities across the country, features the civic commons work in Memphis.
Diversity and Joy Through Shared Programs
Public space programming resurfaced in 2021, and the Memphis team brought back the beloved Soulin’ on the River concert series. Launched in 2019 on Mud Island, this past year the program rotated across neighborhoods to bring high-quality concerts to different public spaces throughout the city.
Youth nature programs brought environmental education outdoors. Partnering with the Lichterman Nature Center and the Highline Network, Insectaggedon was an interactive presentation about the insects that inhabit our parks, like butterflies, walking sticks and praying mantis.
Measurement Matters
Innovate Memphis, a non-profit focused on delivering civic solutions, partnered with Overton Park Conservancy and Memphis River Parks Partnership to conduct ongoing intercept surveys to seek input from park visitors to better inform operations and park planning. You can learn more about these survey tools and customize them for your own public space efforts with the Measure What Matters DIY toolkit.
Toward a Connected Public Realm
Streetscape designs and improvements are underway across the city as part of Memphis 3.0, the City’s comprehensive plan to guide land use, development and transportation over the next 20 years, and Accelerate Memphis, a program announced in early 2021 that will issue $200 million in bonds to facilitate catalytic community projects.
In the Heights neighborhood, one such catalytic project is the upcoming construction of the Heights Line, a neighborhood-led initiative to create a 1.75-mile multi-use path and linear park in the median of National Street between Summer Ave and Bayliss Ave. Meanwhile, planning continues for the neighborhoods’ historic Summer Avenue corridor. Home to many local businesses and entrepreneurs, Summer Ave’s current configuration is dangerous and divides these Memphis neighborhoods. In 2021, a complete street plan was designed by state and local government partners that prioritizes health, safety and active living.
Throughout 2021 a number of activities engaged the Heights residents in these public realm improvements, including an art installation titled “Naming” by local artist Collin Kidder that drew attention to and honored the lives of individuals who were killed while walking in Memphis, pop-up engagement activities at the neighborhood school and a design charrette welcoming community insights for a reimagined Summer Ave.
A Reimagined Riverfront
The $61 million transformation of the most visible and accessible park on the Memphis riverfront, Tom Lee Park, started in earnest in Summer 2021. With the design informed by River Garden and the work of the Civic Commons Collaborative, the new park will be a great river park worthy of a great river city. The first phases of the work focused on the new, accessible connection to the river at the Cutbank Bluff as well as dirt and utility work on the ground plane of the park proper. Construction is moving quickly towards a public opening in Spring 2023.
Winter Fun in River Garden
Earlier this winter, River Garden became a holiday wonderland. Festive lights and a 28-ft tall holiday tree set the mood in the park, while festive tunes and free s’mores on offer weekly at Firepit Fridays attracted Memphians and visitors of all stripes to spend joyful evenings on the river together.
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.
