City Centers Create Sense of Community
Atlanta’s edge cities are developing City Centers to create a sense of community, and it’s working. Since the holiday season is in full swing, it feels appropriate to continue the discussion about community I started in my last blog “The Importance of Community Engagement.” I suggested that leaning into our communities through service and events helps us feel more engaged. But I don’t believe that just happens. It is the addition of City Centers—intentional placemaking at its finest—that elevates the community’s sense of belonging. City Centers Help You Belong In a time when negativity, divisiveness and complaining feel ubiquitous, encouraging a sense of community offers people a positive feeling. While “sense of community” itself is difficult to quantify, it is absolutely a constructive and powerful force for a community’s overall health. Prime Example: Downtown Alpharetta The re-imagining of downtown Alpharetta is just one example of a city determined to craft
