What makes a public space great?

[Cotuit]

Early this afternoon I was in DePasquale Square and it was packed! We were going to try out the new and improved Cafe Dolce Vita, but there was no place to sit. Later we were at WaterFire and of course it was also packed. I was struck when someone set up a little area along the river and started doing origami. Before he was even set up there were already a hundred people gathered waiting to see what he was up to, kids were sitting on the sidewalk waiting, and others were gathered around, he was just doing origami, it was crazy. Anyone could have done anything and a crowd would have gathered.

So the question is, what makes DePasquale Square so great (the rest of Atwells was sleepy by comparison) and how do we create a WaterFire-esque street atmosphere on non-WaterFire nights. Walking home, Westminster was sleepy, but Tazza was hopping, Trinity was hopping. How do we spread these small zones of activity? How do we make the city crowded on non-WaterFire nights? And how and where do we create more DePasquale Squares?

[runawayjim]

Early this afternoon I was in DePasquale Square and it was packed! We were going to try out the new and improved Cafe Dolce Vita, but there was no place to sit. Later we were at WaterFire and of course it was also packed. I was struck when someone set up a little area along the river and started doing origami. Before he was even set up there were already a hundred people gathered waiting to see what he was up to, kids were sitting on the sidewalk waiting, and others were gathered around, he was just doing origami, it was crazy. Anyone could have done anything and a crowd would have gathered.

So the question is, what makes DePasquale Square so great (the rest of Atwells was sleepy by comparison) and how do we create a WaterFire-esque street atmosphere on non-WaterFire nights. Walking home, Westminster was sleepy, but Tazza was hopping, Trinity was hopping. How do we spread these small zones of activity? How do we make the city crowded on non-WaterFire nights? And how and where do we create more DePasquale Squares?

you can put bars in the cathedral and surround it with restaurants and dessert places and cathedral sq will be hopping.

there just needs to be more going on in the city at night for people to get down there... a show, bars with entertainment, etc. where do people go for after show food/drinks from ppac? trinity rep is obvious... but what's right around ppac? maybe westminster needs some after show type places. more events in waterplace park, maybe some in burnside park. maybe cornish coudl get some outdoor entertainment in conjunction with tazza for their little "park" on grant's block...

[Cotuit]

Bump.

[runawayjim]

Bump.