NEWSLETTER (28:15)
Special on Street Pockets
The Sustrans Street Pockets project is funded by a Green Capital strategic
grant, just like Greater Bedminster’s Let’s Walk Bedminster project. The two
fit very nicely together and applications are now open. I’ve attached
GBCP’s Great Street Check List as background.
The down-side is that you only have until 7 June to make any applications.
Contact Flo Marshall if you have any questions.
This is what Sustrans says:
As part of Bristol Green Capital, Sustrans is working with communities
throughout Bristol, to help them to transform their streets, and create space
for community use. 15 Street Pockets will be created across the whole of the
city, and we’re looking for communities who are interested in helping creating
one on their street. More info is below, along with the website link.
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/change-your-travel/your-community/changing-bristol-streets
What is a Street Pocket?
Street Pockets are spaces for sitting, socialising with your neighbours,
chatting with friends, playing, art, or just making your street greener and
more active. They will be created by converting one or two car parking spaces
into a public space that the whole of the community can enjoy. This could
include, a mini park, a swing, a community notice board, artwork, a tree,
bicycle parking or even a bicycle pump station.
What is the benefit of having a Street Pocket?
Streets make up over 80% of our accessible public spaces in urban areas, yet we
rarely feel that they are ours to use. The principle behind Street Pockets is
that a street is a place for people, a place for socialising, chatting with
neighbours, relaxing in, and for children to play. A street is a community’s
shared living room, and one that should reflect the people that live there.
Street Pockets change the character of the streets, encouraging neighbours to
chat to each other, and reminding passing traffic that this is a place where
people live, and to slow down. Street Pockets show that the street is there
for everyone to use and enjoy, and not just a place to park.
How will the process work?:
As a community, you will decide what the Street Pocket will be, and where.
We’re looking for communities who want to work with their neighbours to make
safer, more sociable streets. You will be provided with some training and
resources to help you through the process, and guided about what is possible.
We will then help you ‘trial’ your Street Pocket, using Sustrans innovative new
street kit. We’ll help you set up the kit during a community street party to
celebrate the start of the trial. The trial will help you to test out your
ideas for approximately 2 weeks, enough time to get a feel for how the new
space works, and will help you decide what you’d like to make permanent.
After the two weeks, when you’ve decided what you’d like to make permanent and
where, we’ll help you organise putting the changes in place! Although budgets
are small, we’ll work together to investigate other sources of funding and
opportunities, to try and maximise the changes.
Flo Marshall
Senior Urban Designer, Community Street Design
Sustrans
T. 0117 9150 104
M. 07771 946 736
E: <email obscured>
Twitter: @FloJMarshall