What?
The South Division Plan in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a ~3-mile long (850 acres) area specific plan is based in four major principles: meaningful engagement, development without displacement, economic opportunity and quality of life.
Throughout the 16 month planning process the city has deployed innovative ways to involve residents in learning, co-creating and prioritizing plan actions.
Events to activate the community included a fashion show and community members actively prioritized interventions to be developed into detailed plans.
Takeaway
Using creative and playful ways to engage the community and creating a permanent Pop Up Space for engagement, design and planning builds ongoing capacity using events and experiential activities.