HOW ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS DRIVE DEVELOPMENT Springdale offers a case study.
MEREDITH MASHBURN
BY JILL DABBS
Magnolia Gardens Main Gazebo, Springdale
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hared outdoor public space/entertainment districts are catalysts for urban development. 2020 proved this, and the changes are here to stay. Before the pandemic, Springdale was planning, investing and building out beautiful shared outdoor spaces that intersected with the arts, cuisine and cycling. It takes years to do this and do it well. This past year advanced those efforts by an estimated three to five years. This was accomplished by removing barriers to economic development and entertainment and blurring the lines between the public realm and the private sector. Last year, many cities worked to increase access to public spaces by making them feel more comfortable, inviting and welcoming. Springdale accomplished this with a few different tactical urban strategies. One was with a grant from the Tyson Family Foundation that supported a team of local makers to build Wikiblock furniture for beautiful Walter Turnbow Park. Wikiblock is an open-source design library anyone can access to download free plans to build furniture and accessories like chess boards and library boxes for public spaces. There was not a cumbersome 42 | BLOCK, STREET & BUILDING VOLUME 7 | 2021
Big Sexy Food, 107 E. Emma Ave., Springdale
