Sustaining Civic Assets for a Brighter Future

In Camden, New Jersey, a diverse collaboration is piloting a new operating model in four public spaces, focusing on programming and maintaining these spaces in ways that could be expanded citywide. This approach is helping ensure that a network of newly renovated parks and public spaces will remain welcoming nodes of community—a crucial shift in a city with no stand-alone parks or recreation department. The team is pursuing a range of impactful strategies—including clean and safe ambassadors, community charrettes, corporate sponsorships and neighborhood and nonprofit partnerships—designed to contribute to greater civic engagement, increased trust and a more hopeful future.