Third Places Topical Report

Third Places Topical Report

Third Places are your favorite spots to hang out. They are places filled with lively conversations and laughter. Third places are welcoming to everyone and feel comfortable to stop in and stay for a while. Some good examples are parks, cafés, pubs and piazzas, where people can meet informally.

Strong, resilient communities make it easy to gather and connect with other people. As we continue to recover from the pandemic and grapple with a growing mental health crisis, the importance of third places as the civic and social glue of communities has never been more important. Local land use and economic development commissions have the opportunity to tangibly improve not only the economic, but social health of their communities through the creation of vital third places.

This report will help municipal decision-makers at the elected, commission, and staff level better understand what third places are, their importance, and examine how to encourage their development. We highlight great third places in the CRCOG region and outline tools and strategies for communities to help build a more diverse, robust network of third places.

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