Local councils are responsible for a great many things. Practical tasks like bin collection and mowing the verges, but they also have a role in placemaking. What is this, you ask?
Placemaking is about community development, promoting health and wellbeing, fostering a sense of community, enhancing community connectedness. Yes, it is about economic development but its also the ‘itys’ … accessibility, connectivity, inclusivity and walkability. And increasingly, it is sustainability and environmental biodiversity too.
For local councils, there can be significant challenges when it comes to placemaking practices. From the diverse and often competing community needs, the insufficient resources available, and that the very collaborative nature of placemaking requires such coordination across council teams and departments. There is also a challenge in the presence of ambiguity as to what placemaking actually is, as well as measuring its benefits.
In this project for the Local Government Association of South Australia, C-EDGE’s Dr Sunny Son worked with 19 South Australian councils to provide specific and actionable advice for the strategic and operational planning of public spaces.
The Placemaking Index details the key factors local governments should consider for placemaking with 8 key indicators and 32 associated metrics:
- Place Character
- Operational Budget
- Human Resources
- Place Governance
- Facilities
- Environmental Sustainability
- Place Activation: Events
- Place Activation: Public Art.
An important element of this project was the operational benchmarks that reflect the current industry landscape. Benchmarks in placemaking are essential for measuring success, ensuring accountability, and guiding best practices. They enable continuous improvement, informed resource allocation, and community trust by providing clear standards against which progress can be assessed and compared.
This work aimed to foster continuous improvement and included clear recommendations for best practice placemaking, including:
- A well-defined strategy with a long-term vision, clear goals and KPIs, is essentially for successful place management, seeking input from all teams within council.
- That active involvement should be sought from the community themselves to foster a sense of ownership and that the outcomes reflect the diverse needs.
- A council-endorsed strategy paired with active internal communication can improve collaboration across teams.
- Setting an evaluation plan during the project planning phase is critical to track improvements and determine the impact of placemaking projects.
For more information:
- Local Government Association of SA:
https://www.lga.sa.gov.au/news-and-events/news/latest-news/2024/strategic-space-new-placemaking-guide-gives-local-councils-a-planning-edge
- Contact Dr Sunny Son:
Email: sunny.son@unisa.edu.au
