The commons fits its space. It is the social experience of commoning within whatever is the space. My ideal commons in the center of Ann Arbor would maximize (elevate) usable people space and subordinate the automobile, which takes up much of the surface. The Library Lane parking lot would become as large a ground level park as possible, and an elevated terrace over the parking ramps would be built, with a connecting bridge to Liberty Plaza, over the First Martin Company parking Lot, or as a connecting commercial arcade through a future First Martin expanded building, with a re-landscaped Liberty Plaza and Kempf House. It would include and have as a major element a several floor, many functioned Civic Center building, built above Library Lane from Division Street up to and somewhat overlapping the Library so there could be a connection between the two buildings.
It would have, in time, reorientation and in-fill of the surrounding buildings to the Central Park, including the Library, the Credit Union, the Noble House and carriage house, First Martin Building, Jerusalem Garden...
Outside it would look green with growing and blooming things and edibles, pathways and places to sit. flexible for many functions.
Inside it would have a visitor center and a place to see and learn where we are, in our watershed, environment, history, communities, and a ongoing classes on the climate and new technologies of adaptation and sustainability.
My ideal ideal commons would have a carousel, made by local woodcrafters and turned around by appropriate technology people organizing the wind and solar energy, fun for kids of all ages.
Ideally also, it would acquire from the First Martin Company the old hospital and carriage house for ground floor use as a social service, mental health, new work help center.
both outside and inside there would be a peace place, for recognizing the culture of peace and non-violence for the children of the world, and for helping make peace in our town when needed.
What experiences support your ideal commons?
50 years experience, intensely and intermittently, of People's Park in Berkeley California have given me the experience of mutual respect and interaction among people of great diversity, ...age, class, color, origin, mental health condition,..deriving from the awareness of the shared ownership and guardianship of the space.
Being there on the 50th Anniversary of People's Park, where I was also at the beginning in 1969, gave me a experience, surprised me with an experience of being "free" and among free people, on their own place, such as I have never had before, and I think few in our country have. I would have us endeavor such here, through participatory democracy, rather than the confrontation and blood imposed by government on the situation in Berkeley.
(1=A good idea, 4=Not in favor)
Sit and talk with friends - 1
Buy from a food vendor - 2
Meditate in a garden or grassy area - 1
Get help - 1
Work at an office - 4
Listen to live music - 2
Watch children at play - 2
Sit quietly and read a book - 1
Use a public rest room - 1
Visit the downtown library - 2
Attend a private/public celebration - 1
Skate on an ice rink - 2
Have a drink at an indoor/outdoor cafe - 2
Learn about the city’s history - 2
Attend a kid’s program - 2
Catch the time at a clock tower - 2
Come home to your apartment - 4
Appreciate an artistic sculpture - 1
Use a computer in an internet “hot spot” - 2
Experience a memorial - 2
Attend a conference - 2
Participate in a hands-on crafts activity - 2
Buy incidentals from a store - 4
Do you have any comments on the listed activities?
wide variety, not characterized by commerce.
many activity possibilities as background
I look also for foreground. the commons as a "downtown destination,"
always, often something new and interesting, worth checking out.
magnetic.
commoning is all over the world, another way of being and seeing,
eye opening is an aspiration.
teaching and learning on the character of the commons and commonly pooled resources that there are ways of cooperation not dependent of privatizing and monetizing that which is the wealth of all.
What type of activity would you especially imagine for yourself?
participating in the planning and self management of the endeavor as a whole,
health willing through its next five years for the city bicentennial
and planting flowers etc
and doing public events, earth day and peace day, as I have for the last 5 and more,
Name a potential audience/user group of the Commons. (For example, senior citizens, children, etc.).
native American.
What does this user hear in the Commons?
drumming and voices of the ancestors
bird songs when our gardeners and growing things can entice them
and what everyone else hears
What does this user see in the Commons?
representation of the history of the lands of Ann Arbor and our area, in terms of the animals and succession and dispersion of tribal communities,
a marker of some sort that native people would have put there.
What does this user do in the Commons?
same as everyone else
they might smoke the peace pipe in a ceremony, or build a sweat lodge, or have a powwow.
What does this user feel in the Commons?
welcome,
recognized
at home away from home
restorative justice
Besides the user group you named above, what additional audiences do you think might use the Commons?
african Americans,
hispanic
new immigrants and refugees
teens
visitors from around the world, and from elsewhere in our locale
Do you have other ideas that would help create an inspirational Community Commons leaving a lasting legacy?
Notify everyone in Ann Arbor, in so far as possible, that the commons is common possession, shared and invite active participation into the planning process.
Use inspirational language, this is our opportunity to "un-pave a parking lot and put up paradise," to affirm the highest aspirations of humanity, to show Ann Arbor as a world city, connecting with world consciousness.
Appeal to the artist in everyone to help make something beautiful, all together.
Associate this creative endeavor with the United National General Assembly Call (53/25) that a common mission humanity, in whatever we do, is the creation of a culture of peace and non-violence for the children of the world, if we are to survive.
We should dedicate this center of the city land to that purpose.
Are there any additional thoughts about the Commons you would like to share with the Task Force?
The struggle for the commons and the creative process of its coming back into being and being defended is a world wide process. It is a challenge to, or an affirmation of cooperation in the face of, monetization and privatization and competition and dominance.
Envision this undertaking being conducted in a separate account, a common good economy, like a public bank.
Concentrate on bring forward a vision of beauty and cooperation in each of commons areas: green roof park, elevated terrace, civic center building, Liberty Plaza, Kempf house. Worry about money later.
Task force members may not have considered themselves getting involved in some big philosophical political question when they applied to help create the commons in Ann Arbor.
Consult the peer-to-peer, P2P.org website for an engaging introduction to the commons and commoning
read Peter Linebaugh's primarily, given to each of you, on the commons and commoning
read Elenor Ostrum's book in Trello on governance of the commons.
the hardest job may be describing a structure and system of governance, self managed by the users, not run by the government or some private corporation.
What would make it easier for you to engage with the City of Ann Arbor?
Trello documents should be accessible to everyone, the public, and able to be copied
There should be a discussion forum on the web site...it would entice me to go look.
A2 Open City Hall is not a certified voting system or ballot box. As with any public comment process, participation in A2 Open City Hall is voluntary. The responses in this record are not necessarily representative of the whole population, nor do they reflect the opinions of any government agency or elected officials.
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What does your ideal commons look like?
The commons fits its space. It is the social experience of commoning within whatever is the space. My ideal commons in the center of Ann Arbor would maximize (elevate) usable people space and subordinate the automobile, which takes up much of the surface. The Library Lane parking lot would become as large a ground level park as possible, and an elevated terrace over the parking ramps would be built, with a connecting bridge to Liberty Plaza, over the First Martin Company parking Lot, or as a connecting commercial arcade through a future First Martin expanded building, with a re-landscaped Liberty Plaza and Kempf House. It would include and have as a major element a several floor, many functioned Civic Center building, built above Library Lane from Division Street up to and somewhat overlapping the Library so there could be a connection between the two buildings.
It would have, in time, reorientation and in-fill of the surrounding buildings to the Central Park, including the Library, the Credit Union, the Noble House and carriage house, First Martin Building, Jerusalem Garden...
Outside it would look green with growing and blooming things and edibles, pathways and places to sit. flexible for many functions.
Inside it would have a visitor center and a place to see and learn where we are, in our watershed, environment, history, communities, and a ongoing classes on the climate and new technologies of adaptation and sustainability.
My ideal ideal commons would have a carousel, made by local woodcrafters and turned around by appropriate technology people organizing the wind and solar energy, fun for kids of all ages.
Ideally also, it would acquire from the First Martin Company the old hospital and carriage house for ground floor use as a social service, mental health, new work help center.
both outside and inside there would be a peace place, for recognizing the culture of peace and non-violence for the children of the world, and for helping make peace in our town when needed.
What experiences support your ideal commons?
50 years experience, intensely and intermittently, of People's Park in Berkeley California have given me the experience of mutual respect and interaction among people of great diversity, ...age, class, color, origin, mental health condition,..deriving from the awareness of the shared ownership and guardianship of the space.
Being there on the 50th Anniversary of People's Park, where I was also at the beginning in 1969, gave me a experience, surprised me with an experience of being "free" and among free people, on their own place, such as I have never had before, and I think few in our country have. I would have us endeavor such here, through participatory democracy, rather than the confrontation and blood imposed by government on the situation in Berkeley.
(1=A good idea, 4=Not in favor)
Do you have any comments on the listed activities?
wide variety, not characterized by commerce.
many activity possibilities as background
I look also for foreground. the commons as a "downtown destination,"
always, often something new and interesting, worth checking out.
magnetic.
commoning is all over the world, another way of being and seeing,
eye opening is an aspiration.
teaching and learning on the character of the commons and commonly pooled resources that there are ways of cooperation not dependent of privatizing and monetizing that which is the wealth of all.
What type of activity would you especially imagine for yourself?
participating in the planning and self management of the endeavor as a whole,
health willing through its next five years for the city bicentennial
and planting flowers etc
and doing public events, earth day and peace day, as I have for the last 5 and more,
Name a potential audience/user group of the Commons. (For example, senior citizens, children, etc.).
native American.
What does this user hear in the Commons?
drumming and voices of the ancestors
bird songs when our gardeners and growing things can entice them
and what everyone else hears
What does this user see in the Commons?
representation of the history of the lands of Ann Arbor and our area, in terms of the animals and succession and dispersion of tribal communities,
a marker of some sort that native people would have put there.
What does this user do in the Commons?
same as everyone else
they might smoke the peace pipe in a ceremony, or build a sweat lodge, or have a powwow.
What does this user feel in the Commons?
welcome,
recognized
at home away from home
restorative justice
Besides the user group you named above, what additional audiences do you think might use the Commons?
african Americans,
hispanic
new immigrants and refugees
teens
visitors from around the world, and from elsewhere in our locale
Do you have other ideas that would help create an inspirational Community Commons leaving a lasting legacy?
Notify everyone in Ann Arbor, in so far as possible, that the commons is common possession, shared and invite active participation into the planning process.
Use inspirational language, this is our opportunity to "un-pave a parking lot and put up paradise," to affirm the highest aspirations of humanity, to show Ann Arbor as a world city, connecting with world consciousness.
Appeal to the artist in everyone to help make something beautiful, all together.
Associate this creative endeavor with the United National General Assembly Call (53/25) that a common mission humanity, in whatever we do, is the creation of a culture of peace and non-violence for the children of the world, if we are to survive.
We should dedicate this center of the city land to that purpose.
Are there any additional thoughts about the Commons you would like to share with the Task Force?
The struggle for the commons and the creative process of its coming back into being and being defended is a world wide process. It is a challenge to, or an affirmation of cooperation in the face of, monetization and privatization and competition and dominance.
Envision this undertaking being conducted in a separate account, a common good economy, like a public bank.
Concentrate on bring forward a vision of beauty and cooperation in each of commons areas: green roof park, elevated terrace, civic center building, Liberty Plaza, Kempf house. Worry about money later.
Task force members may not have considered themselves getting involved in some big philosophical political question when they applied to help create the commons in Ann Arbor.
Consult the peer-to-peer, P2P.org website for an engaging introduction to the commons and commoning
read Peter Linebaugh's primarily, given to each of you, on the commons and commoning
read Elenor Ostrum's book in Trello on governance of the commons.
the hardest job may be describing a structure and system of governance, self managed by the users, not run by the government or some private corporation.
What would make it easier for you to engage with the City of Ann Arbor?
Trello documents should be accessible to everyone, the public, and able to be copied
There should be a discussion forum on the web site...it would entice me to go look.