Interview with Linda Pompa

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1. What is your relation to Jane Jacobs Walks?

We have hosted a walk for the last three years.

2. Why were you interested in hosting a walk in New Orleans?

We wanted New Orleans to be part of the larger effort, and felt we had a good story to tell about our particular neighborhood.

3. What do you hope people gain from attending this walk?

We wanted people to learn about the history of the neighborhood, and how revitalization efforts over the last several years align with Jane Jacobs' perspective and approach. We wanted people to appreciate a neighborhood that most don't know about, and simply look at as "dangerous."

4. What are your goals when you host a Jane Jacobs Walk for the participants?

We want to inform about the little-known history, and promote the progress that the neighborhood has made. We want to expose people to assets and attractions they may not have known about.

5. What are your hopes for the future of New Orleans with regards to Jane Jacobs Walks?

We would like to continue hosting a walk, and would be happy to collaborate with others who want to do walks in other parts of New Orleans.

6. Is there anything else you want to add?

We really enjoy doing this, and so do the participants! 

Newtown Creek: Down Under the Pulaski Bridge Onramp-"Check out the composting toilet!"

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May 2014: DUPBO, Down Under the Pulaski Bridge Onramp

On May 3rd, Mitch Waxman of the Newtown Creek Alliance led a Jane Jacobs Walk in Newtown Creek, exploring the Greenpoint and Hunters Point neighborhoods (you can learn more about this event here). This walk had a great turn-out and participants enjoyed the chance to explore these neighborhoods and share their observations.

Below, Mai Armstrong of Newtown Creek Alliance has provided an informative write-up about this Walk, and has shared some great photos.

Newtown Creek: DUPBO Down Under the Pulaski Bridge Overpass - May 3, 2014

Tour Leader: Mitch Waxman, Newtown Creek Alliance Historian.

We had 31 Jane's Walkers (plus 1 toddler in a stroller) attend on May 3, 2014 for the Newtown Creek: DUPBO Down Under the Pulaski Bridge Overpass Tour with Mitch Waxman. We also picked-up a couple of 'unofficial' attendees who tagged along for part of the walk.

The group was a nice mix of folks from the 5 boroughs, plus a few out-of-towners from California, Florida and Germany. Ex-residents of the 'hood mingled with new transplants as we walked from Greenpoint, Brooklyn to Long Island City in Queens. The walkers were enthralled the sights coupled with Mitch Waxman's narration as we wound our way through history.

As the tour visited the few public access points along both Brooklyn and Queens shores of the Newtown Creek, representatives from local organizations spoke to the group about their activities and advocacy for the troubled waterway.

Everyone had a great time, and thought the tour was interesting and exuberantly voiced their appreciation. 

Overheard on the DUPBO tour:

"I used to live here when I was a little girl... I don't recognize hardly anything anymore."

"Truck!!"

"It looks a lot like Miami."

"Check out the composting toilet!"

"We're working on re-greening the shoreline."

"Ten 30-story buildings? Are they going to put a new subway stop here too?"

"I'm gonna keep you alive, I promise!"

Write-ups: http://greenpointers.com/2014/05/06/newtown-creek-walking-tour/

http://harborlab.org/2014/05/04/janes-walk-to-our-reawakening-waterfront/

Community Meeting Places Walks in Amstelveen Netherlands in 2014

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2014

May: Amstelveen “Community Meeting Places” Jane Jacobs Walk

In May of 2014, Fred Sanders of YourpaceBV hosted his second Jane Jacobs Walk in Amstelveen, discussing community meeting places. Fred has kindly shared with us some of the observations and insights that came from this Walk:

Walking and talking over Meeting Places, Jane Jacobs Walk 14th of May at Amstelveen in The Netherlands

"A group of ten civilians of the neighborhood Elsrijk started walking from the community center ‘t Open Hof at noon. The sun was already warm this spring and the participants were in a good walking mood. A woman disabled sitting in an electric wheelchair joined the group after some minutes. Great that also her voice could be heard. The talk of the day was: what kind of meeting places does the people in this neighborhood need? In the past the municipality arranged community places like the center we started at for this Jane Jacobs Walk. Now, because of lack of money, new opportunities are looked for. It’s surprising how many places there are and how many meetings there are organized, just by the organization of civilians active in this neighborhood. Also, there is an initiative to reconstruct an ‘open air theatre’ in the neighborhood. This place could be the central meeting place for the future, if money for a small building could be raised. The idea is to start a flower garden on the place to get the civilians of the surrounding area earlier involved. Also, a theatre for children was visited, a church in an area with small shops of all kinds. All these places could be better organized meeting places, cheaper than physical community centers paid by government, more in between and from people. This Jane Jacobs Walk delivered the people and professionals a bouquet of ideas to work with in the coming months."

- Fred Sanders, host