Gathering together: Akron’s 2020 in pictures
Public spaces brought people together and even sparked joy during an unprecedented year
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Reimagining the Civic Commons cities found unique and safe ways to encourage the use of public spaces at a time when members of their communities needed connection more than ever. Today, we kick off a series of photo essays celebrating public space efforts in cities across the country, beginning with Akron, Ohio.
Guided canoe tours and farmer’s market
Over the past three years, Akron Civic Commons partners have collaborated with neighborhood residents to provide greater access to the waters of Summit Lake, a glacial lake with a long history. Once neglected and even perceived as dangerous, this summer was the second year that Akron Civic Commons partner organization the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition hosted guided canoe tours, getting more than 150 people out on the water throughout the summer. These tours were provided in partnership with the Let’s Grow Akron Summit Lake Farmer’s Market, which provides local food access and resources to neighborhood residents. While this summer looked a little different, safe outdoor rituals were a welcome source of fun and joy for the community that had spent much of the spring at home.
Activating downtown
Akron Civic Commons partners dedicated time to activating the city’s downtown in safe and enjoyable ways this year, with programming tailored for the changing seasons. Downtown Akron Partnership, a special improvement district made up of business and property owners, residents, government officials, and stakeholders dedicated to sustaining a vibrant downtown core, hosted physically-distanced programming in Lock 3 Park, including yoga and Balloflex. The Akron Civic Theatre also commissioned national artists for two murals on opposite sides of their building, located in the city’s core. Downtown partners also shifted to providing online programming and promotion of downtown small businesses during the pandemic.
Elevating community leadership
When Junior Leadership Akron, a county-wide youth leadership program, was looking for examples of neighborhood impact to share with their students, Akron Civic Commons brought them to Ohio & Erie Canal Park to meet John Rucker. John is a long-time resident of the Ohio & Erie Canal Park area and a committed ambassador for Civic Commons work within the neighborhood. Rucker’s leadership throughout this time has been key in revitalizing the park space and he provided great insight and inspiration to some of Akron’s young, emerging leaders.
Stewardship in a time of crisis
As in so many cities across the country, more and more people visited parks and trails in Akron throughout this year, in search of open air, physical exercise, and emotional health. Volunteers across Akron came together to care for public spaces, with more than 200 volunteers dedicating time to cleaning up our greenspaces and waterways throughout the Civic Commons project areas. Small groups of family and friends volunteered for canal clean-ups around Summit Lake, Adopt-A-Trail organizations held volunteer days for employees along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, and Downtown Akron Partnership worked with local groups to refresh public spaces in the downtown center.
Planning for Akron’s future
The challenges of this year didn’t stop Akron neighborhoods from dreaming about a better future. Civic Commons collaborators continued to plan for the redevelopment of Summit Lake’s North Shore and residents provided input on the future designs for this space through in-person and online surveys. Residents and partner are also looking toward the redevelopment of Lock 3 Park, creating a connected and cohesive central park in downtown Akron.
Next up: San José.
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.
