The second informal but substantive "living room conversation" about a vision for a green (or greener) model for community or neighborhood centers is being hosted by Rob Morache, at his home, 527 North Aurora Street, 2nd floor, at 6 pm, Monday, March 2. Rob is making vegetarian chili; I'm bringing corn muffins. Other edibles are welcome.
We expect the discussion to lead to a more refined definition and closer scrutiny of potential benefits. Bring your enthusiasm, desires, and doubts. This kind of thing doesn't happen without plenty of drama! Anyone who's interested is invited. Spread the word. RSVP to Wendy [email protected] or 277-7611. - - - - - - - - - - - Notes from the first conversation follow. Amendments and additions from attendees are welcome. DRAFT Report: Community Center Conversation, evening of Feb 2, 2009, at the home of W. Skinner ** Summary: An informal conversation about a potential new approach to community centers began with a cursory inventory of existing centers and their services. It was strongly held that existing centers are of great value to the populations they serve. Working from this premise, we then explored how community centers might look in a future of less individual prosperity, a large aging population sector, and high energy and transportation costs. The outline of a vision for a sustainability-oriented, neighborhood-based, shared-resources community center began to emerge. ** Initial Observations 1. Community centers in our area range from a) publicly-funded institutions with long histories and a panoply of services, e.g. GIAC, Southside; b) centers associated with subsidized housing complexes, e.g. Northside, Titus Towers; c) facilities in rural towns that serve as gathering places for a variety of purposes, e.g. Brooktondale, Ellis Hollow, Varna community centers; d.) resident-supported shared space, e.g. the common houses at EVI; e) volunteer-driven, innovative centers such as the Dryden Cafe, and f.) de facto centers such as town halls, fire halls, churches, and schools. The centers primarily serve urban neighborhoods; rural towns, villages, and population nodes; and intentional communities. The size of the populations served ranges from a few dozen households to all residents of the City of Ithaca. Support for community centers includes federal and local government funding, community grants, use fees, rents, private donations, in-kind donations, and many volunteer hours. 2. Community Centers can be based on common values or shared needs within a community at large, or on needs within a residential population node. Examples of the former model are a "sustainability center" that could house or host various like-minded organizations, or a "non-profit center" that provides the economy of shared space and equipment. While the first two models have great merit, a center that serves residents within an urban neighborhood, or town, village, or hamlet, is the model that was discussed in further detail. 3. Community center services tend to first meet basic needs and branch out from there, depending on the location and population served. Attributes of existing community centers include: youth activities, services for the elderly, day care, after-school, food pantries, fairs and markets, large-scale kitchen, congregate meals, public meeting space, library, computer lab, gym, pool, exercise room, laundry, cafe, classes, emergency communications center and shelter, produce garden, office space, student internships and community service opportunities, town hall meetings, political or social justice advocacy, central location, walkability. 4. Building on the foundation of the traditional attributes, the "new" or enhanced center might include such things as a shared kitchen for canning and preserving foods, shared meals, a system for borrowing yard or carpentry tools, a sewing room, energy efficient laundry facilities, a drop-off for CSA shares, clothing exchange, a fix-it room, intergenerational information exchange, wireless Internet access, small business incubation, bike share -- as well as comfortable meeting space for all kinds of purposes. The center itself could be highly energy efficient or even be a localized source of energy production. Plausible locations for this sort of center include densely settled, mixed-income neighborhoods or population nodes. -- notes by Wendy Skinner _______________________________________________ For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins Questions about the list? ask [email protected] free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
