Market Cities Initiative | Placesolutions
Market Cities: Creating City-Wide Public Market Strategies
“Market Cities” is a new vision for public markets at the city-wide and regional scale. Market Cities recognize the unique magnetism of markets as public spaces and develop supportive policies that leverage market assets and build human capital to address a myriad of critical civic and societal issues. Market Cities value and invest in their market eco-systems to tackle economic, social, gender and racial inequality; create environments where diverse people interact; spur regional economic development; create job opportunities, especially for women, low-income and minority populations; establish critical social and economic infrastructure for communities facing climate-related risks; and promote community health.
Despite the value that public markets bring to cities and regions, they are endangered by many forces – and often by a combination of forces. These constant and immediate threats include increasing urban development and value of real estate; the modernization and centralization of food systems; economic development practices that neglect women, minority populations, and other small entrepreneurs; and the lack of management capacity of the markets themselves.
Place Solutions Group is pleased to partner with Project for Public Spaces and Healthbridge Foundation of Canada to provide technical support for the creation of Market Cities programs across the globe. The goal is to work with a select number of cities that simply “have markets” and begin the process to transform them into Market Cities. Projects will be selected to reflect a range of governance structures, such as a strong Mayor-led effort, a market network approach, and a community advocate led process.
For further information on becoming involved with this initiative, please contact Steve at "Let's Talk" below.