The Spark is taking it to the streets! Arizona overall and Tucson in particular had already been engaged in a variety of efforts to re-activate streets in ways that better connect us as people - harmoniously, whether those users are car drivers, transit riders, cyclists or people of various modes and abilities. And then? A little thing known as COVID-19 came a-calling. At first, our streets were nearly deserted. And then they weren’t. All of a sudden we had different needs, while other long neglected needs became urgent. As we transitioned through stages of the pandemic and social change in 2020, public and open spaces became more essential than ever, but in brand new ways.
And that’s what this discussion is all about. How can we utilize streets – which can also be re-considered as perhaps the single largest public real estate investment of any place – in combination with open spaces in order to create community health, well-being and vibrancy?
This conversation picks up where another report left off. Click the link below for "Creating Vibrant Communities," the 113th Arizona Town Hall Background Report. Throughout the course of last year and 2021, Community Town Halls are convening virtually to discuss the broader question of how to create community vibrancy. This podcast zeroes in on one chapter, the role of streets, transportation and open space. And wow, have things changed since COVID began.
It’s time to talk about streateries, parklets, neighbors connecting in new ways, the realities of a how a downtown business district survives and thrives, how a nonprofit cancels some of its biggest events and does the same, and how a city can best support everyone’s efforts to create community vibrancy, as of March 22, 2021.
Link: Creating Vibrant Communities, the 113th Arizona Town Hall Background Report
E113: Medicaid Unwinding
E112: A Conversation with UPI Loan Fund and Native Community Capital: A Look into Impact Investing
E111: Promising Housing Practices in Arizona
E110: The Technical Assistance Partnership and the Arizona Coalition for Military Families
E109: New Year, New State Leadership
E108: Innovative Housing Solutions - The Arizona Housing Fund
E107: Health on the Ballot
E106: Dear Candidates
E105: Solari Crisis & Human Services
E104: Center for the Future of Arizona - The Arizona Voters’ Agenda
E103: Creating a Trauma-Informed Arizona
E102: What Makes Vitalyst, Vitalyst? A Conversation with President & CEO, Suzanne Pfister
E101: Refugee Health in Arizona
E100: Womens History Month in Arizona
E99: COVID-19 Roundtable Update
E98: Healthy Communities, One Bill at a Time
E97: Black History, Black Arizona
E96: COVID-19 Roundtable Update
E95: Creating Vibrant Communities with Arizona Town Hall
E94: COVID-19 Roundtable Update