I learned more today about a promising event coming this fall to Burlington (October 23-25, 2007)…
COMMUNITYMATTERS07 is the next annual gathering of the Orton Family Foundation and PlaceMatters, where a national network of practitioners comes together to learn, share, inspire and seed innovation in place, collectively elevating the art and science of planning for vibrant, sustainable communities.
Building on the success of the PLACEMATTERS06 conference held last year in Denver, COMMUNITYMATTERS07 will be coming to Burlington, Vermont for a three-day event that will showcase planning technologies and methods, foster discussions and collaboration among citizens and professionals, and improve the way communities make decisions about their futures. COMMUNITYMATTERS07 seeks to support and expand an emerging network of place-based innovators while focusing on challenges particular, but not unique, to the Northeast.
Good stuff and inline with Front Porch Forum‘s focus.
Front Porch Forum operates under the assumption that when neighbors communicate frequently in civil, constructive ways with all parties clearly identified, that over time all those exchanges will add up to a stronger sense of community. So while FPF members partake in many of the wonders of contemporary online social networking (buy, sell, trade, free, referrals, politics, organizing, reviews, news, advice, etc.), it all adds up to a more neighborly place to live… because all those folks coming at you through your computer are nearby neighbors who will be seen next time you walk the dog, sweep the walk, check the mail, etc.
Now this from Kevin Harris in the land of “Neighbourhoods” discussing a new report in the U.K. that…
… appears to suggest that the most important factor for people who expressed satisfaction with their area, was that ‘people are friendly.’
The negative factors were all about disorder… The implication seems to be that if you invest a lot in helping local people to get involved… you still cannot necessarily expect them to feel more satisfied with where they live.
Whereas, it would seem, were you to invest in people being friendly to one another (and get results from that investment), you could expect that to show up in your satisfaction survey in a couple of years time. Yet another argument for more street parties and new ways of promoting neighbourliness. [emphasis added] It does seem as if social relations and behaviour at local level are gradually coming to be perceived as being of significance.
Here’s an interesting piece…
With the help of more than 150 volunteers, the Boston Police Department, in honor of National Night Out 2007, will distribute 40,000 nametags at Fenway Park to attendees at the Red Sox – Blue Jays Game on July 15. The Boston Police Department’s Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit is embarking on this “Nametag Day” to encourage fans in attendance to get to know their neighbors. Neighbors who know each other are more likely to care for and watch out for each other. This reduces crime and strengthens their community. Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis will welcome the crowd and officially kick off National Night Out Boston 2007. This year’s theme is “Unity through Community,” which is made possible when neighbors get to know each other simply by learning each other’s names. More information about National Night Out Boston 2007 can be found at www.BostonCrimeWatch.com.
The use of nametags comes from Joseph Porcelli’s (BPD Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit) “Nametag Project.” Joseph and others in the United States and Canada have been wearing nametags since January 1, 2007, everyday, all the time, everywhere they go to encourage people to get to know their neighbors and speak to each other. The project has received national recognition. For more information on The Nametag Project visit www.thenametagproject.com.
Some folks compare a successful Front Porch Forum neighborhood to all the neighbors wearing name tags, since every posting include the writers full name, street and email address. A bit cumbersome, but there’s no getting around the value of displaying names.
Ghost of Midnight is an online journal about fostering community within neighborhoods, with a special focus on Front Porch Forum (FPF). My wife, Valerie, and I founded FPF in 2006... read more