At SPOKES (we're not an actual co-op but a program of a nonprofit -- co-ops have a very specific legal definition in Minnesota that dates back to the 1930s) we've found that the typical public hearing is a very middle class thing. Most of our clients have better things to do than attend public meetings--no matter when or where they are (being with families, working, going to school, going to ESL classes.......).  

We've had some success actually hosting public meetings on the bike plans for our county--at least we're close-by and people are comfortable coming to our bike center. But for other planning, we've had more success going to the communities or having more fun events.  Two examples are:
1) we go to the "residents' meetings" at two affordable housing projects in the neighborhood (our parent organization employs the community organizer for those buildings--so that helps) 
2) we hosted a Saturday late morning "walk the avenue" event for planning for our commercial street.  The important points here were providing food and doing something that wasn't a boring public meeting.

sheldon
..............
Sheldon Mains
SPOKES Bike Walk Connect



On Friday, April 11, 2014, Adonia Lugo <adonia.lugo@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear all,
Some Alta Planning + Design consultants who are assisting the City of Columbus, OH on their bike plan update asked me for advice about their communication campaign, such as best practices for outreach. I brought up bike co-ops and told them about Bike! Bike! being held in Columbus this year. I'm wondering what role collectives organizers/volunteers can play or have played as connectors, getting community voices heard that wouldn't otherwise make it to the city level. Or do bike plans seem totally disconnected from co-op concerns?
If there's interest in having some kind of community conversation about what role co-ops can play in connecting more people to bike planning, let me know and I'll put you in touch with the Alta folks. They're also reaching out directly to Third Hand in Columbus.
Thanks!
Adonia
--
Adonia E. Lugo, Ph.D.
Bicycle Anthropologist
www.urbanadonia.com

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