Bridge Fest

This Idea has been incorporated into Signature Festivals. 

Idea Overview

A block party or arts festival held on one of Pgh's bridges

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

Who worked on idea?

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What is the idea?

A block party or arts festival held on one of Pgh's bridges

How would idea work?

• Pgh has so many bridges - it is a defining characteristic of the city
• By blocking off just one of the bridges near downtown, the city could hold a unique event
• Food, music and art

Pluses:

• Unique view of city and rivers
• No other city in the U.S. could offer this
• Enough bridges that traffic wouldn't be horribly affected

Concerns:

• Can bridges hold thousands of people for many hours?
• Safety concerns
• Traffic concerns

Community opportunities:

Those in communities on either side of the river that bridge is chosen

Bridge Festival

This Idea has been incorporated into Signature Festivals. 

Idea Overview

A festival celebrating bridges between communities, generations, and focusing on all the things Pgh is known for using the bridges

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

Who worked on idea?

Cyd Stackhause, Micael Killen, Ron Gaydos, Collen Everett, Ben Pelhan

What is the idea?

A festival celebrating bridges between communities, generations, and focusing on all the things Pgh is known for using the bridges

How would idea work?

• Community focused performances on bridges with art
• PR/outreach to world
• Homecoming event
• Bridge drop, performances, clean-up
• Cross community activities
• Progressive dinner
• "tour de bridge/burgh"
• Cross discipline activities
• Fireworks

Pluses:

• National and global exposure
• Fun
• Get to know more and other people - create long-term relationships
• Bridge people, ideas, resources to make stuff happen

Concerns:

• Ambitious, must start small
• Public safety coordination
• Integration with other events is a challenge

Community opportunities:

Community organizations, cultural organizations and small businesses

Building Blocks: The All-City Block Party

This Idea has been incorporated into Signature Festivals. 

Idea Overview

Publish a yearly guide to holding community-building activities through a simple block party form that provides "how to" and ideas

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

Who worked on idea?

Ka Woods, Sam Matthews, Andrew Macurak, April B

What is the idea?

Publish a yearly guide to holding community-building activities through a simple block party form that provides "how to" and ideas

How would idea work?

• Launched yearly with simultaneous block parties in every neighborhood
• Function to unify divergent stakeholders through personal interaction
• Published guide available online and in print and distributed diversely

Pluses:

• Breaks down cultural and generational barriers
• Fosters togetherness and community ownership
• Publicity - public relations

Concerns:

• Research for Content
• Distribution issues
• Public apathy

Community opportunities:

Various groups within each neighborhood, which now stand divided by cultural and generational barriers, would be united

Passport to Pittsburgh

This Idea has been incorporated into the Community Exchange Club. 

Idea Overview

[Overview needed]

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

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Adopt-a-Stop

This Idea has been promoted to the Top 20. 

Idea Overview

On-going, multi-stage neighborhood beautification project for art and environment promoting pride, safety and education

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

Who worked on idea?

What is the idea?

On-going, multi-stage neighborhood beautification project for art and environment promoting pride, safety and education

How would idea work?

• Bringing together students, local community leaders, artists and art and science teachers for the redesign of commuter bus shelters made from recycled materials
• Each shelter reflects the flavor of the community

Pluses:

• Clean, green neighborhood
• Maintenance and ownership of the stop promotes civic pride
• Links students and artists in a mentorship marrying science and art education
• Gets kids art work out in the communities

Concerns:

• Territorial, question as to motivation for involvement - who okays this?
• Who owns the stops?
• Active/urban areas are hard to "green" up
• Sustainability is difficult, sponsorship causing advertising
• Continued enthusiasm
• Durability of materials
• Aesthetics
• Vandalism

Community opportunities:

• Port Authority, collaborative that extends into the future
• PTA, neighborhoods and ambassadors
• Advertising
• Arts and science, environmental programs, schools, student, teachers, artists
  

GAME Stops

This Idea has been incorporated into Adopt-A-Stop. 

Idea Overview

[Overview needed]

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

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Redd Up Romp

This Idea has been incorporated into the Neighborhood Cleanup Competition. 

Idea Overview

Community clean up and beautification neighborhood competition

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

Who worked on idea?

Carole, Rosey, Tanya, Lauren

What is the idea?

Community clean up and beautification neighborhood competition

How would idea work?

• Each neighborhood chooses a "sore spot" to fix
• On a certain day/week/month, all of the projects are unveiled and citizens tour through all the different neighborhoods
• Citizens or others choose the best transformation

Pluses:

• Builds upon existing efforts for Earth Day, etc...
• Gets people moving through neighborhoods and ingrained in own neighborhoods
• People take better care of community assets

Concerns:

• Lots of logistics
• Challenge to get all neighborhoods to participate

Community opportunities:

Schools, residents, churches, neighborhood councils, etc...

The Living Broom

This Idea has been incorporated into the Neighborhood Cleanup Competition. 

Idea Overview

Encourage community pride through environmental consciousness. Give every shop owner a broom to sweep in front of their shop and neighbors' if needed. Before and after pictures would be taken. Competition between neighbors with prizes awarded by local officials when someone is seen sweeping.

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

Who worked on idea?

Dev, Marianne, Erica

What is the idea?

Encourage community pride through environmental consciousness. Give every shop owner a broom to sweep in front of their shop and neighbors' if needed. Before and after pictures would be taken. Competition between neighbors with prizes awarded by local officials when someone is seen sweeping.

How would idea work?

• Provide each neighborhood with access to cleaning tools, brooms, garbage bags, etc.
• Kickoff with bow decorated brooms and competition
• Place permanent, steel garbage cans in each neighborhood and engage can beautification
• Youth project - pilot program with corps of children who become guardians of clean streets

Pluses:

• Student participation
• Right of passage - students graduate from corps
• Positive social interaction
• Pride in community at early age
• Creative way to inspire consciousness
• Cross-generational program

Concerns:

• Would people do it?
• Need to get community buy-in

Community opportunities:

The whole community would feel better

Think of your neighborhood as your own living room!

Habitat 4 Creativity

This Idea did not make it to the Top 20.  If you are still interested in it, consider applying for a Sprout Fund Seed Award. 

Idea Overview

[Overview needed]

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

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Our Space

This Idea was incorporated into the Community Use Space. 

Idea Overview

A collection of multipurpose meeting spaces to exist in every neighborhood and network around common goals - a neutral space that will have a regularly scheduled meeting each month. Movers and shakers (local politicians, board members, non-profits, etc) would be accessible to the community to answer questions, hear grievances and get to know each other.

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

Who worked on idea?

Dana, Cecelia, Tim, Lauren

What is the idea?

A collection of multipurpose meeting spaces to exist in every neighborhood and network around common goals - a neutral space that will have a regularly scheduled meeting each month. Movers and shakers (local politicians, board members, non-profits, etc) would be accessible to the community to answer questions, hear grievances and get to know each other.

How would idea work?

• Find leaders
• Find funding
• Find space
• Advertise to community

Pluses:

• Neutral space
• Free space
• Available to anyone

Concerns:

• Who would run?
• Long-term funding
• Raising awareness and involvement

Community opportunities:

Any group that needs a neutral free space to meet, have ways to network and be heard

Preservation / Repurposing

This Idea did not make it to the Top 20.  If you are still interested in it, consider applying for a Sprout Fund Seed Award. 

Idea Overview

Take old buildings and remodel for new uses

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

Who worked on idea?

Emily Kane, Lou Bruno, Chris Fletcher, Gina Bruno

What is the idea?

Take old buildings and remodel for new uses

How would idea work?

Take some of the school buildings that have been closed and reclaim for retail space, art gallery, restaurant, temp office, health and fitness centers, yoga, and community center

Pluses:

• Re-use great old buildings
• Maintain character of neighborhood
• Re-vitalize area

Concerns:

• Building code
• Zoning
• Financing

Community opportunities:

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Project Exposure

This Idea has been incorporated into the Community Use Space. 

Idea Overview

Provide a cultural/community center in underserved areas utilizing empty or abandoned buildings, and using music, performance and art to draw in youth and foster community relations

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

Who worked on idea?

Tanya, Brianna, Joanne

What is the idea?

To provide a cultural/community center in underserved areas utilizing empty or abandoned buildings, and using music, performance and art to draw in youth and foster community relations

How would idea work?

• Resource center
• Meeting place
• Promotes art/artists and expression
• Community outreach

Pluses:

• Provides a safe, communal place for neighborhood organizations to meet and improve
• Performance space (multi-purpose)
• Provides youth with safe space to express themselves (other than a gym) and resources

Concerns:

• Funding
• Cooperation

Community opportunities:

All

The Anytime Lounge

This Idea did not make it to the Top 20.  If you are still interested in it, consider applying for a Sprout Fund Seed Award. 

Idea Overview

[Overview needed]

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

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With IN ____

This Idea did not make it to the Top 20.  If you are still interested in it, consider applying for a Sprout Fund Seed Award. 

Idea Overview

[Overview needed]

Idea Round Up Concept Sheet

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