Eleven Principles for Creating Great Community Places

There has been a lot of talk in the city of Halifax about saving the skating oval in the commons. So often it is this enthusiasm that is most difficult to spur. Here, the enthusiasm from the community is undeniable. In terms of building social value, this seems to be a gifted opportunity. As mentioned in a previous post, we will submit a proposal to develop the infrastructure around the oval, looking critically at the potential of this development to not only respond to the needs of the community for such a public space, but for this public space to respond to the needs of the city. Halifax, like all cities is looking for a way to gain an economic boost. The establishment of a public square (in this case it would highlight a skating rink) not only brings economic rewards but provides a space for the community to gather for social, cultural and political activities. These spaces are the life source of a city - they nurture community development and foster true urban sustainability.


So, when we think about building infrastructure around the skating oval, it is imperative that such an initiative be informed in a way that will ensure it's continued success in the years to come. 


Eleven Principles for Creating Great Community Places « Project for Public Spaces - Placemaking for Communities

a tool for judging good and bad public spaces

This diagram is taken from a website called Projects for Public Space (PPS).  PPS was founded in 1975 to expand on the work of William H. Whyte, the author of the book The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. Throughout the course of their work, PPS has evaluated thousands of public spaces and have come to understand that all successful public spaces share four common attributes that you see here, highlighted in orange on the diagram. In considering the future development of the oval, this is a useful tool for measuring the current qualities of the space that make it a success, as well as the aspects of the space that are problematic. Considering all of qualities of the space, both good and bad offers an informed understanding from which to design.