Exploring Communities:
Community Collabs
Exploring Communities is a collaboration between the Urban Studies department from the University of Calgary and the Federation of Calgary Communities. Exploring Communities is an opportunity for our members to get support from students on a placemaking project that will enhance their community. Placemaking is the action of taking underused spaces and turning them into energized places. The collaboration is also a chance for urban studies students to get real-life experience outside of the classroom.
Exploring Communities went into four communities for 2019: Elbow Park, Deer Ridge, Riverbend and Mount Pleasant. Each community was assigned to a group of 5-6 students to complete the placemaking project.
This year, Exploring Communities took on a different approach than previous years with the introduction of Pitch Night. The big event held on April 10 featured each group pitching their placemaking project to a panel of judges in the hopes of winning $1,000 dollars for the community association to go towards the project.
Below is a list of the four inspiring placemaking projects that were pitched, the process, the engagement strategies, and the tactics that will hopefully inspire other communities to take on similar projects.
1) *Winner* Riverbend Installation
