This document summarizes a presentation on how place matters for economic prosperity. It discusses that communities need educated people, new ideas, links to the global marketplace, and multi-modal transportation. Research shows that what attracts and keeps people in cities are social offerings, aesthetics, and a sense of openness. Urban planning should identify and protect distinctive community assets and create integrated parks and public spaces. Successful place branding identifies a community's unique qualities to distinguish it and promote economic and social value through a memorable environment that fosters belonging.

1. PLACE MATTERS
Downtown Atlantic Canada (DAC)
Annual General Meeting and Conference
OCTOBER 10 | 2012

2. A. Introduction to Place Matters
B. Thoughts on Urban Design
C. Place Branding and Design

3. A. Introduction to Place Matters
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4. The Modern Community: Key Needs
• Educated people
• New ideas that become commercial realities
• Link to global marketplace
• Multi-modal transportation infrastructure
• Community distinctiveness (PLACE MATTERS)
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5. Place matters principles:
• Community appeal drives economic prosperity
• Change and the maintenance of character and identity
not mutually exclusive
• Progress does not have to equal ugliness
• Community can grow without destroying what we love
PLACE MATTERS |

6. Place matters research:
KNIGHT FOUNDATION (2011)
Surveyed 46,000 people in 26 cities in U.S.
Determined:
– WHY PEOPLE LOVE WHERE THEY LIVE.
– WHAT ATTRACTS AND KEEPS PEOPLE.
PLACE MATTERS |

7. Place matters findings:
THREE KEY NEEDS
1. SOCIAL OFFERINGS - opportunities for social interaction
2. AESTHETICS - natural and created beauty of a place.
3. PERCEIVED OPENNESS TO EVERYONE - the sense of
welcomeness to a broad range of demographics in
the community.
PLACE MATTERS |

8. PLACE MATTERS: Economic Benefits
Highest level of attachment = highest rate of GDP and
stronger economics.
The study’s empirically based data linked quality of life
“place wellness” to GDP, or economic performance.
PLACE MATTERS |

9. PLACE MATTERS DEFINED:
Unique qualities and characteristics - visual,
cultural, social, environmental.
Distinguishes communities, makes our physical
surroundings worth caring about.
PLACE MATTERS |

10. PLACE MATTERS so we should,
• Focus on our identity to add economic and social value.
• Create distinct uplifting and memorable environments.
• Foster belonging and stewardship by residents.
• Look beyond density to values, customs, other
characteristics that make place matter.
• Note that losing community distinctiveness has social
and economic consequences.
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11. B. Thoughts on Urban Design
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12. PLACE DIFFERENTIATION = COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.
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13. ROLE OF URBAN PLANNING:
“to minimize people’s distress while
maximizing interactions…”
PLACE MATTERS |

14. Best first steps to Successful Urban Planning:
1. Identify, map and protect those assets that support
community distinctiveness.
2. Build and maintain an integrated system of parks,
trails and urban spaces (squares, streets, etc.)
3. Put an Open Space Management Plan in place to
protect the resource.
PLACE MATTERS |

15. Benefits of Parks, Trails and Urban Spaces:
• Strengthens place brand
• Appreciating asset
• Supports population growth
• Encourages housing starts
• Promotes new business start-ups
• Creates increased density
• Enhances local municipal tax base
• Protects environment and finite resources
• Encourages social interaction
• Creates beauty
PLACE MATTERS |

16. Urban Research Findings (Geoffrey West):
1. When people come together they are more likely
to exchange ideas and are more productive.
2. As the City grows things accelerate, becoming more
productive and more innovative.
3. Well designed urban spaces support random
encounters and idea generation.
4. Each City has local deviations that speak to
community distinctiveness.
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17. • Make designs that are intimate.
• Encourage interaction.
• Human centered design.
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18. Local Deviations:
1. Deviations exist over time, they are not random
or a fluke.
2. City deviations reveal hidden correlations of
urban life.
3. Identifying these local deviations can influence
urban design and create distinct authentic places.
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19. Considering Local Deviations:
What makes St. John’s different than
Halifax or Moncton?
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20. Urban Design and Unlocking the Deviations:
1. Community engagement – identify key needs and
perspectives on distinctiveness.
2. Your Downtown as a distinct differentiated place –
specifically define.
3. Downtown Vision – informed by 1 and 2.
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21. C. Place Branding
| Vision, Brand, Plan, Place and Promotion |
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22. Vision:
• Downtown Needs
• Prespectives on Distinctiveness
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23. Promise
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24. Plan
• Identify the distinct attributes
• Form a story / narrative around those attributes that resonates
• Identify targets for story telling (who are you talking to?)
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25. Place
• Place equals experience.
• Good urban design supports
the experience.
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26. Promotion
Strategy to disperse your story. Identify communication elements
and vehicles that best tell that story of distinctiveness.
PLACE MATTERS |

27. A Recap:
1. Place Matters: increases GDP and impacts business
relocation. Builds on distinctiveness.
2. Trails and Parks System and Open Space
Management Plan key to success.
3. Urban Design considerations: intimate, interactive,
beautiful and fun.
4. Place distinctiveness differentiates and informs
Place Branding and Design.
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28. PLACE MATTERS
Downtown Atlantic Canada (DAC)
Annual General Meeting and Conference
OCTOBER 10 | 2012