Block Parties Are the New [Old] Community Builders

If Richmond's Department of Community Development is looking for a new (or old) way to get groups of people seriously engaged in the future of the city, they could do worse than ratchet up the work of their Neighborhood Planning staff -- or so suggests the latest from World Changing.

The thought-provoking weblog delves into the neighborhood as a powerful tool of social improvement, pointing readers to a Streets Wiki post on neighborhoods and block parties:

Which begs the question, how do communities overcome the barriers to building neighbor to neighbor relationships? The neighborhood block, defined as the dwellings fronting on a single street between two cross streets, serves as a reasonable point of entry for health promoters for a number of reasons. A few of the reasons are identified by Douglas Perkins, a leading researcher in social capital and community development. First, the processes of informal control which empowers people operate more successfully in the face to face setting of the neighborhood block than in larger social units. Second, blocks are more homogenous and people are more likely to share similar concerns. And third, participation rates at the block level are found to be higher than at any other level.

Public spaces such as the street block remains understudied and underutilized in the effort to increase social capital.  For decades, street blocks in cities such as Philadelphia have hosted a number of block parties and it can reasonably be argued that these annual or frequent social gatherings foster the ties necessary for a vibrant community life...

This comes (give or take two years) on the heels of a previous World Changing post about block parties and the future of hyperlocal urbanism.

That, naturally, got me to thinking about Richmond's community weblogs -- the dozen or so hyperlocal news sites focusing on specific areas of the city (like Church Hill, Northside or Short Pump) -- and the Department of Community Development. Okay, strike Short Pump (insofar as Richmond's community development department is concerned).

What if the community blogs partnered with the city, neighborhood associations and local merchants to organize block parties in the communities they serve? Or, reinforce existing block parties in areas where they've already taken root?

In addition to food and fun, the bolstered block parties could include meaningful space for representatives of key city departments to connect to, answer questions for and build relationships with citizens at a street level. There could be information booths, small focus group discussions about neighborhood improvement and opportunities to collaboratively identify new initiatives for neighborhood improvement or engagement.

Done well, it could lay the groundwork for the development of a citywide master planning process, something that has been on the periphery of the table ever since the city initiated its Downtown Master Plan process in 2007. Get neighborhoods engaged, generate ideas at a ground level, resolve issues at the street level -- and then invite everyone who turns out to a massive citywide charrette at the Arthur Ashe Center.

Now that would be community engagement on steroids.

Comments

[Amanda Robinson]

This is amazing! You know I love this idea, social networking and all. You continue to prove me wrong about that. Now.... you have the great idea...what do you think needs to happen to make this idea come to life? Richmond would truly benefit.

[Scott Burger]

I have asked Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association members to put together a block party or two for this Fall. Unfortunately, its not always easy to find neighbors who are willing to commit to such an undertaking. People are just not as civically engaged as they once were and those of who are wind up stretched pretty thin. Keeping my fingers crossed...

[John Sarvay]

That's why I wish Community Development and the neighborhood blogs would do the heavy lifting, Scott. Especially CD -- what's the point of developing a city if you don't keep the citizens engaged?

[Paul]

A massive city wide charrette. Now there's a great idea.

[John Sarvay]

If you're serious, Paul, I'm right with you! And if you're being wry, cynical and rolling your eyes about it, me too! Maybe Bruce Tyler could lead this one.

[Paul]

Wry and cynical with memories of last year's candidates forum at Artworks.