Sharing Stories, Shaping Communities

Personal memories and experiences shape the way we see and feel about our surroundings—from the style of the street lamps and signs, to our feelings of safety and security. While one person recalls a lively shopping district that is now a vacant lot, another sees space for local kids to skateboard and play. The way we view our neighborhoods and communities can be almost as unique as our individual personalities.

Few of us, however, have an opportunity to share what we know and feel about our local environment with the decision makers shaping its future. When it comes to planning for the future, this kind of information is rarely sought out, and communities are left living with changes created without their input.

It is just these personal stories and experiences that the Center for Community Design Research (CCDR) brings to the forefront of neighborhood and town planning. A non-profit outreach organization based out of the Department of Landscape Architecture at the State University of New York, the CCDR provides communities with technical design and planning assistance. They do this by tapping into the valuable contributions that community members bring to the planning process. It is their belief that public participation is essential to determining the way that our streets, parks, roadways, and neighborhoods will take shape in the future. They’ve turned this commitment into a model for what is called community based design and planning.

With a mission “to educate students, leaders, and citizens about the potential of their communities to improve and plan,” they begin with a goal of getting the broadest public participation possible. This means getting the word out in many different ways and holding meetings where and when it’s convenient for residents to attend. Simple enough perhaps, but often overlooked. 

Getting the public there is only one step; getting them talking is another. The CCDR has developed creative strategies to facilitate communication and translate the results into a format that can be directly used in physical land planning. Their methods have been instrumental to achieving success. “It’s about communication at many levels,” explains Cheryl Doble, Director, and founder of the CCDR. “It starts with creating a situation for talking to happen amongst community members in which they can ask questions and get answers in a comfortable atmosphere—what we call a workshop methodology in which residents share what they know.” 

I had the opportunity to participate in one of the workshops and the experience was truly inspiring. This was no top-down public meeting run by officials, but had residents, local officials, and architects sitting side by side. Quickly, it was obvious that people love sharing what they know about their neighborhood as long as they are made to feel valued and comfortable.

Students working with the CCDR facilitate the meeting.