A community initiative for the transformation of Montreal

1. ROBERT
JANE
DAVID
LANA
He promotes new project
within the faculty, encouraging
his students to contribute to it
as part of a mid-term
assignment.
He writes project prospectus
and participant guidelines. He
launches the initiative on the
collaboration platform.
He provides feedback and support
to new collaborators joining the
online community within
conversation threads (forums).
As the “No Vacancy” archives
grow with various submissions,
he updates the project page
with key insights related to
Montreal’s empty lots.
He sets up an online survey
asking people about their favorites
public spaces in the city and why
they think they benefit the
immediate community.
He monitors spinoff projects
converting empty lots, providing
expert advice to project leads. He
meets Jane at the lot she wants to
convert to get more insights on her
design idea and provide guidance.
He sets up a new task in the
project page, asking people to
submit images or links to articles
about innovative community
spaces in other cities, for
inspiration.
He monitors all projects data
feeding the MTL Pulse
dashboard (key insights about the
state of Montreal) and publishes a
quarterly report for the CRIEM.
He meets Robert at the
CRIEM to discuss citizen
appropriation of urban spaces
and human motivation for his
thesis.
After 12 months, he produces a first memoir of the
“No Vacancy” initiative (which key data is added to
the CRIEM knowledge base). He gets in touch with
city planners and sends them key recommendations.
Someone from the Board of Trade of Metropolitan
Montreal reaches out to Robert about a proposal to create
a sub-portal for small businesses that would allow
entrepreneurs to access resources, trade services, and
uncover commercial opportunities.
She explores projects and
signs up to “No Vacancy”. She
sends a few questions to the
instigator (Robert).
She investigates her neighborhood,
takes pictures and notes. She
submits empty lot profiles on the
project page.
She spins off a sub-project by making and
initial makeover proposal for one particular
lot near where she lives: concept
description, how it can be done, who needs
to be involved, how to rally the community,
etc. She calls it “Urban Oasis”.
She searches for talent in the
platform member directory using a
LinkedIn Connect function to find the
right skillsets for the project
development. She reaches out to them
via the messaging feature.
She discusses ideas with other members (chat
room, collaborative brainstorm). She posts an
inspiration board and preliminary development
plan (project wiki). Robert suggests one of his
students to help with planning and design.
Jane meets Lana to go over some of the
planning and design elements. She proposes
to get her foundation involved and make the
teenagers contribute during the makeover (as
part of a team building exercise).
She gets Lululemon to give some money and
activates a donation widget on the project page.
She shares the initiative (“Urban Oasis”) on social
networks to incite crowdfundind. She gets her
co-workers and friends interested.
She gets permission from the city to transform the vacant
space (with the help of the CRIEM) and assigns tasks to all
the volunteers.
She documents the entire
transformation (videos,
pictures, updates) and writes
a story about it on her own
blog, linking back to the hub.
He explores the “No Vacancy”
archives and identifies several
makeover projects that could
feed his research.
He contributes to several
projects by providing design
ideas and technical
considerations.
He reaches out to the different projects
leads and plans phone or in-person
meeting for interviews to gather insights
for his research. In the process, he
reaches out to Jane and many residents
who live near the lot she is converting.
Through the city records and the CCA
archives, he is able to collect information
about what used to be on many of the
empty lots. He feeds the various spin-off
projects profiles with historical facts
(which are also added to the CRIEM
knowledge base).
While fitting the first benches on the
revamped lot, she meets a
university student who wants to
interview her for his thesis (David).
Motivated by the project itself, he
gives a hand during the
makeover efforts, helping a nearby
shop owner (Lana) build benches
for the new urban oasis.
Through the hub knowledge base he is able to
find other useful sources of data and references
for his research. He connects with a member
(who provided one of the reports) who gives him a
contact for a possible internship.
After months of investigation, he writes a
summary of his findings on the “No
Vacancy” project page and provides the
CRIEM with additional data to feed the
knowledge base.
He spins off a new project on the collaboration platform:
“The Lost Jewels of Montreal”: an interactive “Google
Street View” of the city with overlaid pictures of buildings
that no longer exist (and what replaces them today).
People are invited to submit pictures and enrich further
the CRIEM knowledge base.
She gets an email from Jane
and reads more about the
makeover project on the
collaboration platform.
After looking at the plan to transform
the lot into an urban oasis, she
proposes some designs for seating
units. She adds various sketches to
albums on the project page.
She gets feedback from the other
participants interested in the makeover
through conversations on the project
page. She finalizes the bench design.
She convinces a nearby hardware
store to lend equipment for the
renovation period and gets free
repurposed wood beams from old
buildings from specialty supplier.
She adds a few dates to the
online project calendar,
offering her shop to get the
core team together.
As the makeover work begins (with
the supervising help of a McGill
student recommended by Robert), she
produces the new benches with the
help of volunteers. She takes pictures
of the experience and shares them on
the project page.
Inspired by her experience about how her
shop and the new “oasis” next to it begun a
movement of change, she writes a set of
advices to inspire other citizens to take
action. These are added to “The Good
Citizen” toolbox of the website (also providing
CRIEM researchers with great insights).
A new business opportunity (and job creation)
arises when a member reaches out to her after
reading about the vacant lot transformation,
wanting to distribute her bench design across
the country. She decides to get herself a
transactional website to increase her customer
reach and sales potential.
He gets merit points for his contribution,
elevating his status within the online
community (gamification)
THE STUDENT
DAVID, 23
Profile
• Student at Universté de Montréal, completing a master in architecture
• Thesis: “The need for splendor: how beauty in our surroundings influences behavior”
• Works as a guide at the CCA on weekends
• Primary trait: inquisitive wiz
Motivation
Increase the depth of his thesis by accessing a rich knowledge base and adding humanistic insights through one-on-one
qualitative research. Contribute to the understanding of Montreal’s complex dynamics and support the Spark’s initiative.
Background Story
As part of a segment in his thesis, David wants to investigate how a single overhaul in a neglected neighborhood can
generate a domino effect and ignite the transformation of an area. During a conference given at the CCA, David meets one
of the speakers (Robert) who introduces him to the “No Vacancy” project. While he initially wanted to study the impact of
new or renovated buildings, the idea of an empty lot makeover interests him. He will focus on lots that had buildings not
so long ago (demolished or burned down), how their loss affected people, and how overhauls and repurposing changed
people’s perception and attitude.
THE RESEARCHER
ROBERT, 59
Profile
Urban planning expert, director of research and at Groupe BC2 •
Teaches “Planning Methods & Law” at The University, is involved at the Spark •
Recent speaker at “Urbanisme durable et villes de demain – Montréal” •
Primary trait: inspiring mentor •
Motivation
To create an extensive knowledge base and toolbox about Montreal, enabling experts, businesses, and citizens to
transform the city they love. Witness a real socioeconomic impact and enhancement of the urban landscape. Help propel
the Spark and give greater visibility to The University’s true contribution to the city. Leverage a dynamic collaborative
platform that can accelerate the progression of various research projects.
Background Story
As primary Spark contributor, Robert launched a project on the collaboration platform called “No Vacancy”, an initiative
wanting to track and transform empty lots throughout the city into community-centric spaces. He also wants to use this
project for a study that will focus on citizen appropriation and temporary transformation of urban spaces, specifically on
how context drives design ideas (every empty lot is no only different but exist in a unique context or community dynamics,
which can influence what people will do with it).
THE CITIZEN
JANE, 32
Profile
Marketing director, Lululemon Quebec •
Volunteers at the Head & Hands Foundation •
Lives in a central neighborhood with few trees and parks •
Primary trait: creative leader •
Motivation
Aspires to a greener and more human-centric city, taken over by citizens who can co-create and find innovative
ways to improve the urban environment.
Background Story
Jane comes across a story on Urbania.ca about the collaboration platform and follows a link to the manifesto on the
online hub. She starts exploring submitted projects and feels very excited about the quality of ideas but also the
level of engagement from not only experts but regular Montrealers too. She comes across the “No Vacancy” project,
which particularly speaks to her, reminding her of New York’s High Line initiative that transformed a significant part
of the Big Apple.
THE ENTREPRENEUR
LANA, 41
Profile
• Shop owner (furniture made with recycled material).
• New to the neighborhood, motivated to make change happen.
• Gives workshops on furniture building and material repurposing.
• Primary trait: engaged achiever
Motivation
Contribute to the revitalization of her work neighborhood through beautification initiatives, greater business prospects,
and job opportunities.
Background Story
Lana recently opened her furniture store in a neighborhood she discovered not so long ago. She sees a lot of potential in
this part of town, but there is a lot of work to be done. She is very social and already knows a lot of people, from citizens
to nearby business owners. Her shop is right next to a vacant lot that isn’t very pleasing to the eye. Someone living across
the street (Jane) visited her shop recently and talked to her about a makeover project. Lana is all in.
A COMMUNITY INITIATIVE FOR THE
TRANSFORMATION OF MONTREAL
CUSTOMER PROFILES AND JOURNEYS PREPARED BY MARCO GERVASIO
MTL
Marco Gervasio © 2018
Marco Gervasio © 2018