A shuttered storefront usually signals loss — a business gone, a street a little dimmer. But in New York, one nonprofit is turning those empty spaces into something else entirely: windows of color, creativity, and connection. Art on the Ave, founded during[...]
Tag: Placemaking
Commentary |
How Places Form People: The Moral Pedagogy of Urban Design
“We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” — Sir Winston Churchill Churchill made this point in 1943 as Parliament debated how to rebuild the bombed-out House of Commons. He insisted it be restored to its original, narrow form — not for[...]
News |
City breaks ground on Regina’s new multimillion-dollar aquatic facility
After years of debate, design tweaks, and ballooning costs, Regina has finally broken ground on its new indoor aquatic centre. Touted as one of the city’s largest recreation projects, the $313.6-million facility will feature Olympic-sized pools, a waterpark, fitness spaces, and more.[...]
Curio |
Got a bold idea for Downtown Brandon? Artists & Creators, BIZ wants to hear from you!
Downtown Brandon is opening its streets to creativity. A new public art grant, funded by the city and run by Brandon Downtown BIZ, invites artists, businesses, and community groups to pitch ideas that will bring color and character to the heart of[...]
Curio |
What Happens When Residents Act and Cities Shut It Down
A crosswalk appears overnight. A bench shows up at a bus stop. Not because the city installed them, but because someone cared enough to act. And too often, the response is swift and unforgiving—scrub it off, haul it away, issue a citation.[...]
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Curio |
Brandon’s Riverbank Discovery Centre: shaping the future of Westman Tourism
A curious black bear has taken up residence—bronze, lifelike, and perfectly at home—at the Brandon Riverbank Discovery Centre’s growing sculpture garden. This newest addition is part of a broader effort to make the Riverbank a destination worth lingering in, not just passing[...]
News |
Science Museum of Minnesota lays off 43 people, downsizes by $7 million
The Science Museum of Minnesota is cutting 43 full-time positions—13% of its staff—and trimming $7 million from its $38 million budget as attendance continues to lag nearly 30% below pre-pandemic levels. The restructuring eliminates entire departments, including access and equity and program[...]
Curio |
City of Brandon and BIZ unveil community-driven outdoor art project to revitalize downtown core
Downtown Brandon is about to get more colorful — and more connected. The City of Brandon and Brandon Downtown BIZ have unveiled a new outdoor art program aimed at boosting vibrancy in the heart of the city. In partnership with the Art[...]
Curio |
Watch: Forget Megaprojects—This Teacher Has a Better Way to Fix Your City
When Noah Tang stood on a TEDx stage and asked his audience to “think small,” he wasn’t talking about shrinking dreams or settling for less. He was making a case for the most powerful kind of civic transformation: the kind that starts[...]
News |
‘Thursdays Downtown’ celebrated at Citizens Alley in Minot
A summer favorite in Minot has a new home: Thursdays Downtown made its debut this week at Citizens Alley, a fresh pedestrian corridor in the heart of the city. While a few finishing touches are still underway, the space is already welcoming[...]
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News |
Restored Coca-Cola mural brightens downtown ambience in Grand Forks
A faded piece of Grand Forks’ past now beams with new life above Pillsbury Park. Painters Chad Caya and Casey Opstad spent two weeks carefully restoring a hand-painted Coca-Cola mural on the historic Odd Fellows Block Apartments building. Their goal wasn’t perfection—it[...]
News |
Grand Forks commission votes to remove mural from ND School for the Blind
A mural outside the School for the Blind in Grand Forks, designed to raise awareness and brighten a public space, now faces removal after the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6–2 to recommend denial of a variance. The dispute centers on permitting[...]
Curio |
The secret to good public policy is simplicity
Ever wonder why some cities feel naturally walkable while others force you into a car for every errand? The answer lies in a simple truth: people follow the path of least resistance. When policymakers design systems that make healthy choices—like walking, biking,[...]
News |
As light pollution increases, West Texas works to protect the world’s largest ‘dark sky reserve’
In the Davis Mountains of West Texas, the stars still come out in full. At McDonald Observatory, under some of the darkest skies left in North America, families gather, telescopes turn skyward, and kids marvel at the Milky Way. This stretch of[...]
News |
North Dakota Vision Services adds mural to raise awareness, but may have hit a snag with city ordinance
The North Dakota School for the Blind is getting a vibrant new mural that superintendent Paul Olson hopes will do more than just brighten up a busy Grand Forks intersection. The colorful artwork, painted by artist Trey Everett on the building’s north[...]
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News |
Wyoming worker exodus threatens economic decline, business council says
Wyoming is facing a crossroads: too many of its young people—and working-age adults—are leaving, and the jobs to keep them there simply aren’t keeping up. State leaders say it’s not just about attracting business anymore; it’s about building places people want to[...]