During the 1st “Tooltest” opening session for the Global Park(ing) Day Cohort, PHINCO Co-Director Monica Williams presented following John Bela, the Co-Founder of ReBar art and design firm, the creators of Park(ing) Day. This year will be our 6th Annual Park(ing) Day Pontiac, with a “Detroit to Pontiac” spin considering our recent studio expansion in Corktown & the Michigan Central Station Innovation District. We’ve been inspired by Park(ing) Day, and particularly its simple human agency centered message of “tactical urbanism” and in the “search for unscripted urban spaces” which John Bela framed the history of the event as connected to during this talk. PHINCO is co-facilitating the interactive sessions to follow along with Placemaking Europe, PlacemakingUS & PlacemakingX. Here is the video, a short summary, and some images of the journey!

Short 12 Minute Edited Version:

Laska Public Space Matters for Physical Activity.jpg

On NEW Ideas

Overview of our time at 4 N. Saginaw, downtown Pontiac (7 years). The initiatives co-created at this site are LIVE & DIGITAL, connected to public places & spaces.

Our works in progress, documented here, require great RISK! (Still controversial…) — Our works in progress, documented here, have required great RISK! (Still controversial…)

We are participating as a “Demonstrator Project” in the Newham Policy Lab, and London Strategy & Policy Network

We served as a Case Study for a PhD dissertation by Lindsay Oluyede, PhD, AICP, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. This covered our work on “Regional Transportation” as applied to our 2016-17 “Design Thinking” & Community Codesign engagement with SMART (Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation).

We hosted a video-conference program for the 3rd International Placemaking Week, October 2nd. 2019 that took place in Chattanooga, TN. A result of a three year learning exchange where we’ve explored possibilities around the development of a sister-c… — We hosted a video-conference program for the 3rd International Placemaking Week, October 2nd. 2019 that took place in Chattanooga, TN. A result of a three year learning exchange where we’ve explored possibilities around the development of a sister-city like relationship and/or learning exchange.

Serving as one of five originating National Street Service Pilot Cities. Credited in the NSS Field Guide for having developed a new model for working with small and distressed urban cities. — Serving as one of five originating National Street Service Pilot Cities, funded by Ford Motor company. Credited in the NSS Field Guide for having developed a new model for working with small and distressed urban cities.

AERA Toronto 2019 Conference Presentation: “Trauma and Resilience in Pontiac.” We contributed our “Digital Design Thinking” platform as a programming element to the effort to understand and heal trauma in our community. — AERA Toronto 2019 Conference Presentation: “Trauma and Resilience in Pontiac.” We contributed our “Digital Design Thinking” platform as a programming element to the effort to understand and heal trauma in our community, where pre-pandemic over 80% of children in Pontiac Schools children were suffering.

Our OU / Pontiac Initiative Early Childhood Education (OUPIECE) presented on the "Resilience Screenings Initiative" at the AERA Conference - "Leveraging Education Research in a Post-Truth Era:" bit.ly/2uUQe8i -

Session: bit.ly/ResilienceAERAToronto3 Leave a sticky note here: http://bit.ly/resiliencedesign

The Messy Business of Social Context: Thoughts on the Phoenix Center. A summary of our efforts during the controversial Phoenix Center demolition project.

"Design Walk" a community-based learning, STEAM placemaking program.

As part of the global, open source Park(ing) Day placemaking event, Pontiac celebrated at the intersection of Saginaw and Pike streets and in the "Hub & Grub" development concept for 2 N. Saginaw to serve as a community planning center and eatery.

Ottawa Towers Open House, September 19, 2015

Original Pontiac Plan with vision for the "Project" which became the Ottawa Towers/Phoenix Center/Transportation Center (this concept was originally adopted via a community led campaign that rejected a proposed shopping mall development for the land… — Original Pontiac Plan with vision for the "Project" which became the Ottawa Towers/Phoenix Center/Transportation Center (this concept was originally adopted via a community led campaign that rejected a proposed shopping mall development for the land left vacant due to disastrous Urban Renewal policies of the 1950's)