Schools are part of, and even anchor communities. Good planning requires schools as part of "Complete Communities". Until this proposal is adopted, school boards often close schools due to funding or liability. This is a possible step forward.
"Their students may have disappeared, but many old schools across Ontario could get a second life as 'community hubs' under a series of proposals presented to the province this week," reports Selena Ross.
"Empty schools aren’t only a pressing issue in Toronto, where the Toronto District School Board has been under immense pressure from the province to consolidate schools and sell underused property, often incurring the wrath of neighbourhoods that don’t want to lose the land and its green space."
FULL STORY: Closed Ontario Schools May Be Transformed Into Community Hubs
Los Angeles County Moves to Open Schoolyards to Public Uses
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors just approved a motion to extend and expand an agreement with the L.A. Unified School District for the use of recreational facilities at Walnut Park Elementary School.
Partnering with Schools to Expand Parks Access
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation is partnering with over 560 schools to provide students access to the outdoors, nature education, and recreational programming.
Atlanta to Open School Properties as Public Parks
A new pilot program in Atlanta will test a joint-use arrangement that opens public school properties in the evenings and on weekends to provide park space for the public. The effect would be significant.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process
The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.
Judge Extends NYC Congestion Pricing Through at Least June 9
A federal judge halted the Trump administration’s effort to kill the program, which remains in limbo as a lawsuit filed by the MTA moves forward.
LA Falling Behind on Housing Goals
Last year, the city permitted just 30 percent of the number of housing units needed to meet a growing need.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Clovis
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service