"Libraries are about books and reading, of course. But they are also about providing people with a 'third place' for programming, services, and socializing; they are one of America’s only truly cross-class spaces, [Emily] Drabinski [of ALA] noted."
The architects, interiors people and construction did a fantastic job on this place. But how an un-economically sustainable business that shut out the public from the public baths was ever allowed go in there is beyond me. Hopefully it will be resurrected as something more than another gated-space homage to the Celtic Tiger era #Clontarf#Dublin#baths#publicSpace
Interesting study by Schuster et al. suggesting that cycling in urban areas has a positive effect on the common good (i.e. political participation, social participation in organizations, neighbourhood solidarity, and neighbourly helpfulness)
On the Internet, public space is not a place like Facebook or Xitter. It is the sum total of the interconnections between individually owned and controlled places.
This is why I’m designing the Small Web to enable everyone to have their own place on the web.
In the Toronto Star, @GraphicMatt examines how we manage the flow of people through busy intersections. Unfortunately sometimes the focus moves from people to private cars.
“…the best long-term solution to Toronto traffic remains creating alternatives to car travel that are fast and safe, so people don’t need to drive at all.”
A question for you to ponder: who do we allow to choose transit, and who do we force to use transit?
We’ll be visiting York University to talk about this sort of freedom of mobility on Monday. Does everyone in your neighbourhood have the freedom to move around in the way they want?
Ok - I’ve been on Mastodon for a while now and what I miss from my previous social media interaction site is the network I had there. I have come to understand that the key feature here is to use hashtags and to FOLLOW those tags.
Which ones should we use globally to connect? Are there ones used I have missed? I am working with #UrbanSpaces#Cityplanning#PublicSpace#MasterPlanning#SustainableTransformation. But some are long to remember.
Capitalist enterprises are like criminal gangs. We can never get rid of them entirely, but without our constant vigilance and suppression, they take over everything.
More than 150 car models too big for regular parking spaces
The ‘autobesity’ epidemic eats up public spaces
"More than 150 car models are now too big to fit in average car parking spaces. While the size of the standard parking bay has remained static for decades, cars have been growing longer and wider in a phenomenon known as “autobesity”."
The plans are starting to shrink but it’s still a fundamentally bad premise: a 95-year lease for private control of public waterfront, $600 million for an underwater parking garage, zero transit, and lake infill, for a private spa.
In folks' happiness at seeing outdoor dining replace auto parking during the early pandemic, they still aren't asking enough questions about why when we want cycle corrals, we're told every auto space is precious, but if a for-profit business wants them, cities usually cough them up gratis?
Yes, to less auto subsidy, but also yes to less subsidizing business people over all other members of a community. This example is Porto's Bakery and Cafe´in Glendale, CA. #PublicSpace
Don't get me wrong - I loooove Porto's wares. And I am certain their business brings in a lot of sales tax money for Glendale. But there needs to be a transparent and fair process for annexing and using public property. And as far as I can see, most businesses are just given it for free. Meanwhile, advocates grow old trying to get one solitary cycle corral... #BikeTooter#Urbanism#PublicSpace
n.b. That shot was taken early in the morning not long after they'd opened for the day. Porto's is wildly successful and tremendously busy so those tables and chairs are not usually empty and there are accessibility issues with this annexing of public property for dining (both on the sidewalk and in the parking spaces) as well.