And the Winner Is.... Medfield!

The Medfield Cultural District snagged $500 to help execute a new concept for a pocket park next to Zebra's, after a successful community vote for its entry in the national Community Matters Successful Communities contest.

The notice of the award came on Wednesday.

In a release, the town stated the following:

"CommunityMatters asked people to come together, listen to their free conference call on the Secrets to Successful Communities with Ed McMahon of the Urban Land Institute, then decide on one completely achievable action for making their community more successful. To sweeten the deal, the Orton Family Foundation sponsored the contest by offering $500 to four communities that came up with an idea or strategy for success. The Orton Family Foundation works to build vibrant, enduring communities in the Northeast and Rocky Mountain West.

Medfield Matters – Visions & Voices: Pocket Park was chosen from among 16 entrants in the competition for the unique way that it is helping to address community challenges and build a more vibrant future.  

Selected by online public voting, the four winning entries are:

Middlesboro, Kentucky (pop. 10,334): Discover Downtown Middlesboro plans to use temporary demonstrations to test out pop-up businesses, transform vacant lots, set up public seating in high traffic areas, and install signs that highlight future improvements. The two-day Better Block-style demonstration project will bring neighbors together to experience and envision the great potential for downtown. 

Silverton, Oregon (pop. 9,222): With a desire to inspire ongoing conversations about real and lasting community change, the Upstream Arts Collective plans to host curated conversations about the art of neighboring. Local community collaborators and neighborhood practitioners will share their stories in a fun and collaborative atmosphere.

Medfield, Massachusetts (pop. 12,024): Working to create a vibrant downtown, the Medfield Cultural District plans to revitalize an underutilized pocket park with community art. The project will ask community members to write their ideas for the park on a large chalkboard set up downtown. They also plan to do an art installation through the park featuring portraits of residents. 

Mountain View, Arkansas (pop. 2,748): A county seat characterized by a mix of artisans, professionals, retirees, retail and service occupations, this small town is an established tourist destination. People in Mountain View love to gather and play music of all sorts, and they do so nearly every weekend when the weather is good.  But traditional music is being lost to the prominence of more modern sounds; even the Arkansas Folk Festival is no longer truly “folk.” This group plans to create a music festival that will showcase traditional styles, seeking to protect local heritage and educate people about true old-time music.

Visit http://woobox.com/5omwgq to see the entrants and winners.

About Medfield Matters – Visions & Voices: Pocket Park

Our listening party was inspired by the concepts of engaging citizens to tell the Town what they want for the improvements of a downtown pocket park. “Visions and Voices” will be a community art project to focus attention on this underutilized asset in the heart of downtown between Zebra’s Bistro and Starbucks. Partnering organizations will work to ensure that the enhancements made will be practical and useful for many to enjoy – adding to the aesthetic and vitality of our lovely downtown.

About CommunityMatters

CommunityMatters is an interactive exchange for individuals and organizations working to engage citizens and build strong, vibrant communities from the ground up. CommunityMatters fuels a growing network of leaders, thinkers and doers in a variety of disciplines – planning, sustainability, health, democracy, education, economic development, and the arts. CommunityMatters is a project of the Orton Family Foundation, in collaboration with other partners. www.communitymatters.org

About The Orton Family Foundation

The Orton Family Foundation believes that empowering people to shape the future of their communities will improve local decision-making, create a shared sense of belonging, and ultimately strengthen the social, cultural and economic vibrancy of each place. Orton helps communities navigate change by offering programs and tools that engage diverse groups of residents in collaborative discussions and decision-making driven by what they love most about their town—its “heart and soul.” www.orton.org