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Assignment 5- Web Map
Philadelphia has become well known in recent years for its ever expanding system of bike paths and multi-use trails which include the circuit trails, rail to trails, and others which lie within the Fairmount Park System. This map highlights the trails along Kelly Drive and Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, as well as permanent bike racks, parking lots, and restrooms in the surrounding area.
Additionally, this map includes points which mark locations where robberies took place during 2014. As you can see, the area along Kelly Drive and Dr. Martin Luther King Drive have a relatively low robbery rate when compared to the rest of the city.
Assignment 4- Video Feature
One of the most famous landmarks in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia is the historic Manayunk Bridge which served as connector between the Manayunk neighborhood and Bala Cynwyd on the alternate bank of the Schuylkill River. The bridge was originally used by the Pennsylvania Railroad, but as its condition slowly deteriorated it was eventually decided that the bridge should be closed in the mid 1980s. As multiple circuit trails and rail to trails began opening in the Philadelphia region, it became apparent that the bridge could serve as a connector for both banks of the Schuylkill River once again. Construction began in the summer of 2014, and the bridge trail was officially reopened in October 2015.
A tour of the Manayunk Bridge and Cynwyd Heritage Trail can be seen in this short video.
Mini Blog 3- PPGIS
The term public participation geographic information system (PPGIS) was developed in 1996 as a method to bring the technical field of GIS to the public in order to engage the non-governmental community with governmental issues. GIS has become a very important part of public policy making and can be used to compile and analyze geographic data from a variety of sources.
As a relatively new field, PPGIS has a relatively broad focus. Because of this, it has been difficult for PPGIS to develop itself into a term which is widely accepted and utilized in the planning world. Literature available on PPGIS and the organizations that use it recognize PPGIS as a tool that can be used to collect demographic, administrative, environmental, or local level information and compile it into a database. This data can then be transformed into maps, images and other visual and spatial tools which can be used to engage the public.
Using PPGIS can be a very effective way to encourage public participation and involvement in addressing community-level topics and issues. One example of this is that PPGIS can be used in communities to encourage tree plantings that benefit the surrounding areas. GIS maps can be created which include images of streetscapes, buildings, and greenspace. Using these maps, the public will be able to visualize potential tree plantings within their community, and can help identify areas where additional trees can be added. These GIS maps can additionally contain data relating to the current tree inventory for the community and can track removals and replacements as well as native tree species in the area.
Though using PPGIS for community engagement can provide many benefits, there are a few disadvantages which must be kept in mind. One of the main disadvantages of PPGIS is that it may not reach the entire community. Oftentimes it may be necessary to communicate in different ways in order to reach non-technical people. Using only PPGIS will limit these people from accessing the necessary information presented to them or may discourage their participation. Other disadvantages of PPGIS are that it can be expensive and at times advanced training may be needed to utilize the technology effectively.
The Manayunk Bridge and Cynwyd Heritage Trail
One of the most famous landmarks in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia is the historic Manayunk Bridge which served as connector between the Manayunk neighborhood and Bala Cynwyd on the alternate bank of the Schuylkill River. The bridge officially began its service in 1918 as part of the Schuylkill Valley Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and was purchased by SEPTA in 1976. As time wore on, the bridge fell into disrepair and was permanently closed in 1986. After multiple attempts to stabilize and refurbish the bridge were denied by SEPTA, the bridge remained inoperable until 2008 when the construction of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail Began.
As construction of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail progressed, attention turned once again to the Manayunk Bridge. In order to link the Schyulkill River Trail with other rail-trails and Circuit Trails it was clear that the bridge must be reopened. Construction began in the summer of 2014, and by October 2015, the bridge was reopened to cyclists, skaters and pedestrians and ties both banks of the Schuylkill River together once again.
Following the Manayunk Bridge Trail across the Schuylkill River, trail goers will find themselves at the foot of The Cynwyd Heritage Trail. The Cynwyd Heritage Trail begins at SEPTA’s Cynwyd train station and heads northeast for two miles past Bala Cynwyd Park and West Laurel Hill Cemetary where it eventually intersects the Manayunk Bridge Trail. The main pathway of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail follows the same abandoned rail line as the Manayunk Bridge Trail and travels past many historic landmarks including Clegg’s Cotton Mill, two train stations, and cemeteries.
Both the Manayunk Bridge and Cynwyd Heritage Trails provide clearly marked and well maintained pathways for everyone to enjoy. There are multiple bike racks, seating areas (including Adirondack chairs and benches), and parking areas which area easily accessible. The main trail contains both a paved section and a gravel portion which can be used for different activities, as well as ample green space including many new tree and shrub plantings along the way.
See more photos of the Manayunk Bridge and Cynwyd Heritage Trail here: Facebook Album
Works Cited:
http://www.circuittrails.org/find-trails/cynwyd-heritage-trail
http://www.cynwydtrail.org/interpretive/
http://www.circuittrails.org/find-trails/manayunk-bridge-trail
Mini blog 2- The Digital Age of Civic Engagement
As the world becomes increasingly focused on digital technologies, professional organizations and agencies have become gradually more dependent on the internet and digital forms of community engagement. The internet can provide these groups with virtual platforms for digital engagement which may help monitor community interest in local projects and to track changes that take place within their communities. However, in order to ensure successful community outreach it is important to include traditional methods of public involvement to ensure that all groups are able to remain involved.
In recent years, the planning field has begun utilizing the internet as a method of communication with community members. Because of this, it has become necessary to monitor the effects digital engagement can have on communities. While the use of digital technology may provide a great deal of benefits to the planning field, it has become apparent that it does not completely replace traditional methods of community engagement and may isolate certain groups who do not regularly use or have access to the internet.
When used properly, digital forms of community engagement can provide a number of benefits to the planning process including positive community outreach, an overall reduction of cost, better response quality and timeframe, and an increase in community buy-in. Participation barriers may be reduced by using digital engagement tools which can lead to reaching a larger part of the community. When more people are involved, a better reflection of the stake-holders opinion can be achieved.
Utilizing digital forms of community engagement can also help reduce the overall cost projects. Traditional forms of engagement can cost projects an excessive amount of time and financial resources and by using online engagement tools it may be possible to significantly reduce the amount of time and money spent on collecting information. Therefore, the resources saved by using digital forms of engagement can be focused on other aspects of the project which can lead to better community buy-in.
Though there the benefits of digital community engagement are seemingly countless, there are many risks which must be taken into consideration. One of the main risks is that certain populations including the poor and elderly may not have access or the skills needed to use digital forms of engagement. Because of this, it is important to continue using traditional forms of engagement which may include hard copy surveys and face to face in person meetings. Another risk spans both digital and traditional methods of community engagement is that there will always be a group that takes over discussions by being more outspoken than the masses. This can take place in both in person meetings and across the internet through chat rooms, message boards and on social media causing others to not express their true opinions.
Because of the benefits and risks associated with utilizing digital methods of community engagement, it is necessary to properly identify the intended population, and to utilize the best method of engagement for each specific group. Oftentimes it may be important to include both digital and traditional procedures to ensure that everyone has access to the information and resources they need.
Friends of Port Richmond
Come out and share your ideas for redeveloping the Brownfield areas in Port Richmond. Your input can make this area part of our community that we can be proud of. But to get there, WE NEED YOUR HELP!
The “Friends of Port Richmond” invite you to participate in the upcoming community design Charrette to be held at the Memphis Academy Charter School, Monday, September 19, 2016 at 6 pm.
We encourage residents, commuters, business owners, employees, community leaders and decision-makers to join us for this unique opportunity to discuss redevelopment of the Brownfield sites in our neighborhood. Your participation is critical to the success of this project!
Refreshments will be served
Space is limited to 25 participants, Please RSVP to events@FOPR.org
Follow us and share your stories and pictures on our social media pages.
Follow us on Twitter: @FriendsOfPortRichmond
We will be live Tweeting during the charrette #PRichmondBrownfields
The future of the Port Richmond neighborhood is in your hands. Let’s make the Brownfield areas a wonderful part of our community. Come share your ideas and insights. You can make a difference! @FriendsOfPortRichmond #redevelopment #Bfields #PRichmondBrownfields #ProgressPhilly
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View and Share our Event Flyer: PortRichmondFlyer
We want your feedback following the event!
Share your feedback. Please take our brief survey.
Mini Blog 1
The article “Technology and Planning: A Note of Caution” written by Stephen Wheeler discusses how technology has impacted the planning world and suggests that planners must not allow the use of technology to interfere with community engagement and the fundamentals of the planning profession. He suggests that it is important to create a balance when using technology resources to ensure that the public is able to remain connected to planning projects by using programs and language that they are able to access and understand easily. If the general public is able to understand what is going on and why, they may become increasingly supportive of new ideas and provide useful feedback about planning projects in their communities.
Certain technologies have had immense impact on planning operations and have played a major role in shaping our cities and suburban neighborhoods. Transportation technology has had one of the largest impacts on the planning profession as well as the population as a whole. This has become especially true since privately owned automobiles have become the most popular mode of transportation in the United States. The invention and availability of automobiles has caused the population to spread out and disperse to areas away from densely populated cities which contain a variety of public transportation opportunities and other resources. As the population continues to spread, it is necessary for strategic transportation planning to develop new roads, highways, and superhighways and other resources to help communities stay connected. Planners must maintain community engagement and communication while using transportation planning technology to be sure the public interest is supported throughout the planning process.
Computer technology has also had a large impact on the planning profession. Computer technology has allowed the planning methods to become more technologically advanced by incorporating maps, graphs, charts, and advanced formulas into planning documents. The advancement in planning technology has allowed intricate computer systems such as GIS to capture, store, check and display data related to positions on Earth’s surface, and can display many different data types on one map.[i] Using advanced systems such as GIS allows people to easily see, analyze and understand relationships between different map features and can help with the strategic planning process. Though this and other computer technologies have become an invaluable resource, it is increasingly important that when complex computer systems and programs are used, planners ensure that the information is easily translated and accessible in a format which the public feels comfortable using.
Oftentimes it’s extremely effective for planners to rely heavily on technology for their daily operations. Using modern technologies such as the internet, advanced computer based programs and equipment has definitely assisted in the advancement of the planning world. However, it is necessary to remember when not used properly, technology can take away from the fundamentals of the profession including community support and engagement.
[i] Society, N. G., & Society, N. G. (2011, March 26). GIS (geographic information system). http://nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/geographic-information-system-gis/
Collin Wood 