Resolve to Build Community

2011 was a big year: The start of the Occupy movement, the death of bin Laden, the earthquake in Japan, and of course, the Royal Wedding. 2012 is sure to have its fair share of big world news too, but we at Orton are just as interested in what’s happening in the world of local communities.

Here are 5 trends to watch in 2012 that’ll impact your town and the field of community planning in the coming year.

 1. Who me? Could be!

Who knows places better than the people who live and work there? We are seeing more communities looking to their citizens as experts. Don’t be intimidated—you already have important knowledge about your place, and there are tons of resources out there to help turn it in to a road map to your town’s future. For starters, check out the options showcased at last fall’s Building Community Workshops.

2. Less is more

Lighter, quicker, cheaper is the new mantra for communities faced with how to create great places on limited budgets. Project for Public Spaces explains this concept as “taking incremental steps, using low-cost experiments, and tapping into local talents.” Tactical urbanism is one of our favorite manifestations of this approach; read up, and then we challenge you to go chair bomb your town.

3. Story Time

Storytelling has always played an important role in cultures across the globe. Now we’re seeing it applied to community planning in new, interesting ways. Wondering how you might take a group of stories and turn them in to something actionable? Take a look at our bevvy of resources on the topic!

4. Tech and Transparency

Gov. 2.0 efforts are improving transparency, collaboration and participation in government. New mobile applications, social media and interactive government websites are just a few of the ways communities are transforming how they engage their citizens. Check out last year’s CommunityMatters call series for more 2.0 examples and resources.

5. Loving Local

These days, it’s all about keeping it close to home by going local. Last year’s CommunityMatters call series on building local economy is one place to start, or consider developing your own local brand in 2012.

So go. Get out there and find a way to enhance your community. Interested in sharing your stories? Our Facebook and Twitter ears are always open.

Happy New Year and here’s to a great 2012!