8/11/2019 City Repair Cleveland 1 Pge Overview

1/1

CITY REPAIR CLEVELAND

Democratized Placemaking in

Clevelands Neighborhoods

City Repair Cleveland is a NEIGHBOR-LED placemaking

initiative that beautifies neighborhoods, strengthens

community relationships, and inspires shared stewardship

amongst people right where they live. Placemaking is amulti-faceted approach to the planning, design and care of

public spaces-large and small. Placemaking capitalizes on a

communitys assets, inspiration and potential, with the

intention of creating public spaces that promote peoples

health, happiness and well being.

The City Repair placemaking process began in Portland, Oregon

almost twenty years ago with the idea that localization- of culture,

of economy, of decision making- is a necessary foundation of

sustainability. Over the years, dozens of Portland neighborhoodshave become part of the City Repair process. These places have

become more vibrant and safe while residents are more connected

to one another and empowered to steward their own community.

Other US cities such as St. Paul, Minnesota, Ashville, North

Carolina, and Olympia, Washington have implemented the City

Repair process and had similar positive results.

Neighborhood Connections brought City Repair to

Cleveland In 2013. Three neighborhoods became part

of this innovative experience and are gearing up for a

second season to maintain and improve last yearswork. Neighbors creatively titled this annual event

Artivism Week; 10 days of coming together to maintain

last years work, build relationships and and implement

the design concepts that had been in the planning

process since spring. Following are some highlights of

the impact of their efforts.

Larchmere-Buckeye-Shaker SquareReferring to themselves as

Bridging the Tracks, residentsacknowledged the disconnect

and racial tension between

these neighboring communitie

Their work resulted in new cros

neighborhood friendships,

community poetry workshops,

design parties attracting over

100 residents, and a mural

theme thats been implemente

in both Buckeye and Larchmere

Stockyards

hree generations of residents came

ogether to design and paint murals that

hare the history and hope for their

eighborhood. Dozens of youth were

nvolved, healing relationships betweenouth and elders while creating beauty on

tark retaining walls that had been graffiti

magnets for years.

Newark CourtClark-Fulton block club neighbo

came together to transform a

blighted alleyway that been a

source for illegal dumping, graf

and general feeling of danger.

Starting with the willingness of

handful of neighbors, every

property owner agreed to be a

of the process by the end of the

first Artivism week. A year paswithout tagging or dumping. A

recent tag was repaired by a

neighbor within less than a wee

For more info, contact Adele DiMarco Kious

@ 216.905.1199.