Placemaking at a distance
Physical distancing shouldn’t mean isolation. But it can be difficult to figure out how to reach out to our neighbors or strangers in the broader communities we live in and which make our lives possible. We’ve compiled a list of resources and inspiration for how to connect with other people during the Covid-19 public health crisis.
Make some noise
From China to Spain to Italy, people have gone outside at the same time to shout, sing, or bang pots and pans. Residents of Wuhan shouted encouragement from their windows, in addition to donating masks and packing lunches for those in need. In Spain, people banged pots and pans together to both support health workers and to protest corruption in their monarchy. On Friday Portland started the tradition of making noise at 7 pm as a way to cheer frontline workers.
Reach out to neighbors using Next Door
Next Door is a location-centric social media application. It can be a great way to connect with people in your neighborhood, and offer services to others - including neighbors with mobility issues or who are immuno-compromised that need help with errands right now. For information about signing up follow this link: https://help.nextdoor.com/s/article/How-to-join-Nextdoor?language=en_US
Find a resource list
Resources lists can be an excellent way to stay informed, find new ways to engage with the community, or to find help for someone. Many organizations and public figures are offering resource lists that include everything from how to access unemployment payments to food to education and entertainment resources. The following list composed by congressman Earl Blumenauer and team in Oregon is useful (this is not an official endorsement of Blumenauer or any of his policies). https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1_vxTr5ze9Po3noASrmc3075x9EMsKZQczUe-QHsWADQ/htmlview
Set a time to be outside at a safe distance together
Neighbors in Kenton area of Portland used facebook to organize an event where everyone came outside at 5pm to check on each other and keep a safe distance. https://www.kgw.com/article/news/kenton-neighbors-meet-at-a-distance/283-d1551668-e9fe-4a23-8a01-7a6c1d578257
Sidewalk art
There are lots of ways to share art online, check out events shared on the City Repair Facebook page for dance parties and discussions of hip hop music videos. But the sidewalk is also an excellent canvas and way to connect with neighbors while keeping a distance. Write an inspirational message, show off your artistic talent. Check out what one community in Mountain View California did: https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/22/us/california-sidewalk-drawings-coronavirus-trnd/index.html
Organize and Donate
If you are privileged enough to still have work and your needs secure, consider donating and getting people you know to donate to organizations that support our communities, especially those who are the most vulnerable. Portland Mercury has an excellent list that includes organizations to help houseless folks in Portland, Meals on Wheels, musicians and artists, and organizations that help neighborhoods with small businesses hard hit by the corona virus like the Jade District Relief Fund. For a complete list:
Rooster
Not too dissimilar to Nextdoor, Rooster is a digital central hub for neighbors to help, borrow and share with one another - the only rule is that everything must be FREE. The benefits of such a community are immense: from reducing our waste and our spending, to getting to know our neighbors, and spreading acts of kindness around us. As Rooster members, we practice unconditional giving and focus on contributing our share and paying it forward. Everything on Rooster is done for free without expectation of pay or reciprocity. The image below shows a posting as well as a map of folks signed up around you.
New Zealand Teddy Bear Scavenger Hunt
In response to physical distancing, New Zealanders started a project of asking folks to put a teddy bear in the window facing the road and as people are out getting fresh air and exercise, they can enjoy the bears around their neighbourhood. To document the movement, people are encouraged to digitally pin on a map when they see a bear or put out a bear.
https://www.bearhunt.co.nz/ and article here: https://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/238336-bellevue-bear-hunt-successful-support-kids.html
Create a Placemaking Community group or Website
Most of the above projects are larger scale community connections. To be able to continue placemaking designing and organizing for your street painting, garden, or building project, many sites in the past have used social media and websites to create their own community groups to share ideas and communicate at a distance. Here are some examples...
Website: The Lents Bridge Project: https://asborffmann.wixsite.com/lentsbridgeproject
Facebook Group: Jarrett Grove Street Painting https://www.facebook.com/groups/jarrettgrove/
Instagram: From our cohort, Hygiene 4 All: https://www.instagram.com/h4apdx/
We also use our villagebuildingconvergence.com website to post information about your site. While mostly geared toward installation time we can also use the website as an organizing and outreach tool. Check in with the Placemaking Team if you’d like to use this resource right away.
