A_HALPIN & A_CARR

Activating Public Spaces

The vitality of a downtown area is often reflected in the quality of its outdoor public spaces. These spaces are not only essential for socialization and leisure but also play a crucial role in promoting retail and gathering activities. Unfortunately, many of these spaces are often characterized by a cold and unwelcoming atmosphere and can even pose a safety risk at certain times of the day. Although the Lane County Farmers’ Market in downtown Eugene is a popular event that showcases the potential of the park blocks around the farmers’ market, they are often left abandoned once the event is over. Most of the surrounding businesses face nearby Willamette Street. 

 

This begs the question of how we can improve these spaces to make them more inviting and safer for everyone to enjoy. Our proposed solution is to add activity generators, such as food carts and a variety of seating, to these outdoor spaces. Food and seating would make the park blocks more of a destination when the market is closed. This would help to increase the number of people in the area, creating more “eyes on the street” and fostering a livelier and safer atmosphere in downtown Eugene.

Indicators

Places to Sit

5 – Chairs or benches with tables

4 – Grouped benches or chairs

3 – Single Benches or Multiple benches spaced 72” or greater

2 – Grass, rock, or low wall

1- None present

 

Sidewalk Width

5 – Greater than 72” – 6ft

4 – 48’ – 72”

3 – 36”- 48”

2 – Less than 36”

1 – No Sidewalk Present

 

Menu Prices of Meal

 

Shade/Rain Cover

5 – Permanent Structure

4- Covered Walkway

3- Porch/Portico

2- Awning

1 – No cover present

 

 

Literature:

This said, Portland contains elements of urban form that in some cases are not easily repeatable elsewhere. Short block size, a compact downtown with wide sidewalks and narrow streets, and plentiful small public spaces containing public seating and shelter from the elements all contribute to walkable, human-scaled spaces conducive to eating, interacting, and engaging in public life. Some of these elements, block size excepted, could be reproduced, suggesting that encouraging a street cart industry might require retrofitting spaces to suit that industry. Less easily replicable is a large stock of privately owned surface parking lots; the easy availability of sites and the ability to create pods are key to Portland’s success. There are, however, other ways to activate underused urban spaces to this industry, and cities aiming to encourage the industry should consider how a pod structure can be accommodated.

 

Newman, Lenore Lauri, and Katherine Burnett. “Street Food and Vibrant Urban Spaces: Lessons from Portland, Oregon.” Local environment 18.2 (2013): 233–248. Web.

Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Vintage Books, 1992.

Franke, Clayton. “To Market, to Market.” Eugene Weekly, 3 June 2022, eugeneweekly.com/2022/05/19/to-market-to-market-2/.

“Simon and Helen Director Park.” OLIN, www.theolinstudio.com/simon-and-helen-director-park. Accessed 16 Jan. 2024.

Kapell , Hannah, et al. Food Cartology: Rethinking Urban Spaces as People Places, 1 Jan. 2008, chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1041&context=usp_murp.

Casanova, Helena, and Jesús Hernández. Public Space Acupuncture. New York: Actar Publishers, 2014. Web.

Moro, Anna. “Co-Design of Public Spaces for Pedestrian Use and Soft-Mobility in the Perspective of Communities Reappropriation and Activation.” Transportation Research Procedia 60 (2022): 36–43. Web.