Latest news with #publicSpaces
The Guardian
01-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Parking space-sized gardens impress Hampton Court flower show judges
Mini-gardens that fit inside a parking space have been presented by a council at Hampton Court flower show as part of a drive to make public spaces less car-focused. Three gardens created by Surrey county council are on display at the show to demonstrate that areas used as parking spaces can give far more benefit to the community if they are thoughtfully designed as mini-parks. The project, which won a silver medal at the show, used a standard 2.4 by 4.8 metre parking space for each of the gardens, which will be relocated across Surrey. They contain easy-to-maintain plants such as jasmine bushes, and useful features such as chess sets, benches and gravel pathways flanked by pollinator-friendly flowers. Judges said it was 'astonishingly clever' to create gardens in such small public spaces. They said the garden creates a feeling of being cocooned away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. The designers say they are trying to move from a car-first urban design to creating 'healthy streets for Surrey'. They have a £2m fund to create these mini-gardens across the county in place of parking spaces. Helen Currie, a place-making specialist at the council, said: 'We are trying our hardest to encourage people to want one of these in their vicinity. Whilst we can get them built and installed, we then need volunteers to come and maintain them. Our budget only stretches so far, so we're always looking for groups that will offer to maintain them once they're in the ground – so, weeding and watering – and they're all designed so that the plants we've chosen are there to come back year on year.' One of the parklets, which will be relocated to a street in Walton-on-Thames, contains planters with built-in seating and a table with a chess board. It has plants proven to soak up street pollution including cotoneaster, and trees including forest pansy and field maple for shade. They also created a rain garden, which will be relocated to Cranleigh, that contains kerbs with gaps allowing water to run off the road into the planted area. It contains water-loving plants such as sage and masterwort, as well as a birch tree which can handle wet conditions and dry spells alike. The third garden is designed for birds and people, with a birdbath that collects rainwater and built-in seating for pedestrians. It features jasmine canopies which provide shade. This will be relocated to Guildford town centre. Alex Baldock, from the council's place-making team, said: 'We work with community to develop a holistic solution that's not just focused on one aspect: the car. A lot of our town centres are becoming more service oriented, rather than solely retail focused, and therefore it needs to be more inviting for people, and encourage people to interact with each other and spend time in nature.' Currie added that creating parklets among parking spaces was more inclusive: 'It's showing it's not for just one person driving a car, but it also provides for somebody who might not be able to walk that far, who might be able to walk to one of these, sit down, rest, and then continue their journey on by foot, which environmentally is a much better message.' They said that people who are interested in using parking spaces in their local areas for these mini-gardens should get in touch with their local council, some of which have funding for these projects. Currie added: 'There was definitely a period of time where we just wanted to look after the car, car drivers, whereas now, we're probably never going to get rid of the cars, all of them, but let's just make it a nicer place that people don't have to drive, and they can walk, or they can cycle, or they can do a mixture of both, on the way to wherever they're going.'
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Savannah council passes measure to ban "urban camping," aligning with county's policy
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson held up a stack of speaker cards for public comments at Thursday's city council meeting and made an observation. Every person who signed up to speak on the item at hand had an address listed. That item was an ordinance prohibiting "urban camping" in public spaces, and Johnson noted that none of the speakers present were from the community most likely to be impacted by the law―members of Savannah's homeless community. "The people we're talking about don't have an address. We haven't heard from them, the people who are affected," Johnson said. Background: Chatham County passes measure to curb camping on public space; Savannah hears similar proposal Still, Savannah City Council approved the new ordinance unanimously, despite vocal concerns from Johnson and District 3 Alderwoman Linda Wilder-Bryan. The item passed after Johnson added a request for the city manager to report on the ordinance's effectiveness after 90 days to assess if any changes are needed. The new ordinance prohibits "camping" in public spaces, which is defined as using public space for living accommodations such as sleeping, making preparations to sleep or storing personal belongings. The provision also states that no person may be arrested under the ordinance until they receive a written or oral warning from the Savannah Police Department. Those who support the ordinance, including the Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless and the Interagency Council on Homelessness, say it gives law enforcement a tool to address illegal behavior arising from camping activities. "You have to have a few tools in the toolbelt in order to ensure that the public spaces and the systems that you've built in order to provide support for people are able to operate in the way that they need to operate," said Savannah City Manager Jay Melder, who worked on homelessness policies in previous jobs. "Every day I hear from our partners who are working on this issue that this kind of support would be useful for their work, and believe me, they are engaged in helping people. They are not engaged in hurting people." Services: On Our Radar: Inner City Night Shelter meets with downtown neighborhood on future expansion Melder added that the ordinance is not a "cure all" for the issue. The city manager along with other members of council said the city has created various support services, including housing, to help those experiencing homelessness. Projects such as the veterans' tiny homes at The Cove at Dundee and under-construction transitional housing on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard are devoted to aid homeless individuals. Opponents of the ordinance argued the proposal criminalizes homelessness, and that the city should pursue "housing-first" policies to address the issue. "There's too many pathways, too many obstacles for our homeless, and we don't need to create more obstacles by criminalizing their condition," said Lutheran Church of the Ascension Pastor Matthew Henning. The ordinance also permits SPD to seize personal property that is found in violation of the code, which drew concerns from Johnson and Wilder-Bryan about "chain of custody" on how the items would be stored and potentially reobtained by owners. The ordinance's passage comes after Chatham County passed a nearly identical provision in late May. At that time, Savannah City Council also held its first public hearing on the item. Each ordinance follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June 2024 that upheld and Oregon city's version of a similar ordinance. Public comments and council debate were tense and emotional at times Thursday. One member of the public was ordered to leave after shouting questions as District 6 Alderman Kurtis Purtee was giving a speech on his support of the item. Evan Lasseter is the city of Savannah and Chatham County government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at ELasseter@ This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah approves ordinance to prohibit homeless camping in public space
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Important purpose behind markings all over Australian footpaths: 'I had no idea'
Whether it's on city streets, in shopping precincts or train stations, millions around the country walk beside them every day. But how many of us actually know what the trails of bumps and bars on the ground are really for? The City of Brisbane Council issued an important reminder recently, prompting many residents to reveal they had no idea. The council explained that, like in many densely populated cities, the raised markings used on the pavers of areas like Queen Street Mall are part of a braille trail, there to assist people with impaired vision to move about safely. Also known as tactile ground surface indicators (TGSIs), these markings are the long, raised strips or dot patterns installed in public areas that often span many metres through busy thoroughfares. They're designed to be felt underfoot or with a cane and are typically located in high-traffic or hazard-prone areas. For many, they act as an essential substitute for visual information, allowing for greater independence, confidence, and safety when navigating public spaces. "Don't stand, walk or place items of braille trails," the City said online. "Keep them clear to help others." Many responding after seeing the post admitted that they didn't realise the markings' important purpose. "I had no idea what these were. I honestly thought it was flooring design or something. What a great idea," one woman said. "I doubt most people know the purpose of these. Good post," echoed a second. "I never knew — now that I know, I will be conscious not to be in the way," wrote a third local. In Australia, TGSIs began to be more widely implemented from the late 1990s, following the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. National standards were later developed to guide their use, with tactile indicators now required in most new public infrastructure and major upgrades. Their presence has since become a quiet but critical part of inclusive urban design — often unnoticed by many, but life-changing for those who rely on them. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Chatham County votes to regulate urban camping
CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) – Chatham County Commissioners voted to make urban camping illegal, calling it an improper use of public spaces on Friday. The City of Savannah and Chatham County are taking similar steps this week, with both considering ordinance amendments to regulate the use of public spaces, specifically when it comes to people sleeping and camping. County Commissioners voted on Friday to approve the amendment for unincorporated Chatham, which rules it unlawful. County officials said they have met with the city to address urban camping, and the county states that both proposals appear to be consistent with one another. However, in Savannah the amendment discussion sparked mixed reactions at city council's first reading. One resident said, 'passing an ordinance, changing local laws to facilitate the removal of unhoused people is criminalizing homelessness, criminalizing their only shelter when there is not an existing guaranteed solution is unjust.' On the other side of the aisle, another resident voiced, 'Your very thoughtful support of an encampment management policy, which, like this ordinance, focuses on connecting individuals to services and helping them get out of their homelessness situation.' City officials said they strived to provide resources for the homeless population. In Mayor Johnson's words, it's time to strike a balance. He said they are dealing with significant issues with homeless neighbors, some of which are on the criminal side. Alderman Detric Leggett said the city needs to balance business concerns and compassion. 'For us, being the district of hospitality and multiple businesses, we see on one end of that conversation; we see business owners and hotels who have individuals who will either lie down in front of their business and they have to find alternative methods to get people in and out,' he said. 'And they're losing funding because of those efforts and the quality of life of the businesses are one thing in question. Then we have a quality of life for the individuals who are asking for help.' Savannah City Manager, Jay Melder said from a public safety perspective, the proposed amendment would give police a new tool in the toolbox to help protect public places. However, Alderwoman Linda Wilder-Bryan said it may not be the best solution. 'When you give a person a record, it makes it harder for them to get housing, at any rate,' she said. 'So, yes, let's do something about it. Let's not criminalize it and let's not make it illegal to lay up under the stars and rest in areas that you call home.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CNET
07-05-2025
- Health
- CNET
Stay Healthy on Your Next Trip With Our Wellness Editors' Must-Have Travel Essentials
Sharing public spaces: You can get sick during and after travel for many reasons. One of the most common reasons is being surrounded by more people than usual, often "in enclosed spaces with others who may be passing things on to you when sneezing, coughing, etc.," says Bawer. Lack of quality sleep: Traveling can cause your immune system to kick into overdrive due to higher stress levels and lack of sleep. Changing time zones affects your circadian rhythm, which in turn affects sleep patterns. Not getting enough quality rest can weaken your immune system, so it's important to prioritize sleep while you're traveling. Changes in diet: "Most people do not eat well-balanced or nutritious meals when they are traveling. Many will also increase the amount of alcohol they consume or other substances, which can increase our chances of exposure to pathogens and weaken the immune system," Bawer explains.
