National initiative announces investment in innovative, policy-based approach to public spaces to advance civic life and social connection in Lexington

Reimagining the Civic Commons supports local efforts in Lexington to connect diverse people, build trust and strengthen community

Reimagining the Civic Commons, a collaboration of national foundations and civic leaders dedicated to revitalizing public spaces in ways that benefit communities, announced a new $750,000 investment in Lexington today to support work over the next three years.

In Lexington, the funding will support a team that includes Blue Grass Community Foundation, CivicLex, the Mayor’s Office, the Division of Planning, and the Division of Parks and Recreation to work on a three-year plan to implement and test public policies that enhance Lexington’s public spaces. The team aims to leverage Lexington’s upcoming urban development changes and the expansion of its Urban Service Boundary to create vibrant, walkable and inclusive public spaces.

“Lexington values and has made many investments in quality of life,” Mayor Linda Gorton said. “This study will help us grow our quality of life by identifying ways to build on the investments we have made and finding new opportunities.”

Nationally, this investment is supporting cross-sector teams of civic leaders across 10 cities (including Lexington), all working to transform public spaces in ways that counteract harmful trends facing America, from social isolation to economic segregation to climate change. The initiative’s innovative model supports changes in how communities design, manage and program public spaces like parks, trails, community centers, libraries and public gardens in ways that deliver critical social, economic and environmental benefits.

“Moving beyond public space projects to policy change is the sign of a city committed to a more resilient future,” said Bridget Marquis, director of Reimagining the Civic Commons. “We are excited about Lexington taking its approach to the public realm to the next level with a focus on ambitious policy change, leadership development and pilots that engage residents in the future of their city.”

Lexington is at a pivotal moment. With the recent adoption of a new 20-year Comprehensive Plan, the city is committed to prioritizing walkable, affordable neighborhoods, expanding access to parks and greenspaces, and advancing economic mobility and climate stewardship. Through strategies such as tactical placemaking, community engagement and collaboration, Lexington’s Reimagining the Civic Commons team will leverage Lexington’s upcoming urban development changes and the expansion of its Urban Service Boundary to create vibrant, walkable and inclusive public spaces that reflect the needs of the community.

“At Blue Grass Community Foundation, we believe that well-designed and accessible public spaces—like parks, trails and community centers—are vital to the well-being of our community,” said BGCF President/CEO Lisa Adkins. “This three-year project aligns perfectly with our mission to build stronger, healthier communities through green spaces and public places that are open and welcoming to all. We are grateful to Reimagining the Civic Commons for investing in our community as we advance this work, in partnership with CivicLex, the Mayor’s Office, the Division of Planning, and the Division of Parks and Recreation.”

Launched in 2016 in five cities and an initial $20 million investment, the initiative expanded to include additional cities in 2020. Participating cities receiving funding from this round of investment include Akron, Ohio; Camden, New Jersey; Cincinnati, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; Lexington, Kentucky; Macon, Georgia; Memphis, Tennessee; Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and San José, California. This phase of the initiative, with an investment of nearly $10 million, is funded by The JPB Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Kresge Foundation.

Concurrent with the investment announcement, Reimagining the Civic Commons also released reports showing impacts in three of the initiative’s longest participating cities. Based on data-gathering efforts over eight years, the reports demonstrate that collaborative public space efforts in Akron, Detroit and Memphis are improving neighborhoods and lives.

Specifically, the data show:

• In Memphis, weekly yoga classes drew more than 5,000 diverse participants to the city’s revitalized riverfront in 2023, with people coming from 37 different zip codes across the region. Further, two-thirds of visitors to the city’s civic commons sites say they have met someone for the first time while there.
• In Akron’s Summit Lake neighborhood between 2017 and 2023, the percentage of residents who trust local institutions nearly doubled from 29% to 57%.
• In Detroit’s Fitzgerald neighborhood, 94% of residents say the neighborhood has changed for the better in recent years, compared with just 34% in 2017; 97% feel hopeful about the neighborhood’s future.