As you travel, locally or further, take a look at what other communities are doing to create ways for people to remember them (placemaking.)
In Gulfport where I live, the Port Authority lights up the port with the colors of Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is kind of a big deal down here. Where could you do something like that in your town? It doesn’t have to be big, just something lit up with fun colors. Your business window with the school colors maybe?
In Lisbon, they have garbage cans painted in wild designs. What could you do with the public garbage cans in your town?
Placemaking is more than just making things pretty. It’s also a way to bring the community together to accomplish a goal. It’s local people doing local things using what they have to bring their ideas to life. These projects aren’t just for tourists to see. It’s for the people who live there to enjoy every day as well.
The Ed Butler Memorial Living Snow Fence in Elbert County, Colorado not only honors Ed Butler but it also provides tangible benefits to the local community. Things like decreased cost of snow removal on public roads.
When you’re placemaking you are creating quality places where people want to be.