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We quickly convened with local stakeholders including an arborist, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and other environmentally focused groups. Coupled with the shallow root system of oak trees and downtown Austin’s flash floods, it was only a matter of time before these historic oaks were fatally disrupted. “Downtown residents and citizens who care about these important trees were worried they weren’t healthy because of the environment.” The soil in this area needed improvement and non-native plants had proliferated. “We typically get calls about the heritage oak trees,” said Mandi Thomas, the Senior Director of Marketing at the Down Austin Alliance. While the park boasts majestic live oaks, these local treasures needed some love. Having collaborated with the Downtown Austin Alliance on past projects, Project for Public Spaces was excited to work in the very place where the city was founded: Republic Square. Credit: Erika Rich ‍ Republic Square, Austin, Texas‍ “Every afternoon you see parents and little kids playing and having fun.”Ī picnic at Republic Square. “The scale of the benches make them extremely climbable for children and they love the colorful murals,” said Sophie Harris Vorhoff, the executive director of the Friends of Lafitte Greenway. On any given day, there are people gathering for picnics, farmers markets, culture, and youth activities. John is now a lively and friendly pedestrian plaza. The area where the Greenway meets the Bayou St. Today, the new Lafitte Greenway Plaza functions as a holistic response to the key need for more outdoor public spaces in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic. Community-driven support, in the form of small local gifts, also help to ensure Greenway Plaza’s continued success. The results included custom seating, a new stage, benches, and bike racks. We were able to bring these ideas to life thanks to our fantastic local partners including Urbanscapes Design+Build Collaborative and the Black-and-woman-owned Mastodonte Construction. Read on to learn more about these exciting projects to strengthen community through public space.Įven at night, Lafitte Greenway Plaza continues to attract the local community.Īfter engaging with the community, we knew that people wanted a gathering space and a focal point for arts, music, and culture, as well as an opportunity for education on the local environment and green infrastructure. Awardees in Austin, Texas, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Tulsa, Oklahoma received $150,000 in direct funds as well as technical assistance and capacity building from Project for Public Spaces. We've used those funds to provide grants to communities in the United States impacted by natural disasters.

Over the past year, Project for Public Spaces has been putting this approach into action using funds donated by the Makers of Claritin® as part of its Clarity Parks Project™. By creating places where people gather and interact, civic leaders can strengthen the social resilience of our cities, as well as our physical resilience. Already more and more cities are investing in climate adaptation infrastructure, but when they do, it’s important to take placemaking into consideration. When it comes to resilience, public spaces are key.

#MASTODONTE NEW ORLEANS HOW TO#

“Another is a boutique that caters to the needs of those surviving breast cancer after mastectomy surgery.Leaders from around the world recently gathered together for the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference to negotiate how to lower global carbon emissions-as well as to build resilience in the face of more extreme weather. “ Businesses include a grocery store founded in 1948 that is working to rebuild their location in the Lower 9th Ward,” shared Propeller.

Over the next three months, the entrepreneurs will receive mentorship to help grow their businesses and continue to make the lives of New Orleanians better.

Twenty-two ventures have been selected for the latest intensive Startup Accelerator cohort. The organization focuses on innovators in food, water, health and education and runs an accelerator for early-stage companies in the area. Propeller is the New Orleans-based organization that supports entrepreneurs tackling social and environmental disparities.

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