[browser link available in email]

As we approach the year-end season of giving, here is your friendly reminder that Open Plans is a 501c3 non-profit. Charitable donations from readers and advocates like you make it possible for us to reimagine New York’s streets as places that put people first; where New Yorkers of all ages and abilities feel welcome, safe, and happy.

We hope you will keep Open Plans in mind and support us with a donation before the year is out!

The magic of people-centered streets was on full display this fall. Thanks to DOT expanding on last year's first-ever Trick or Streets program, over 100 streets went car free in late October. Across the five boroughs, communities held costume parades, live music, candy giveaways, and Dia De Los Muertos altars. In a city as dense as New York - on a holiday that, nationwide, sees a sharp increase in the number of children killed by cars - it seems like a no-brainer. And yet we're only just now realizing the role New York City's streets can play in our health and happiness. The benefits were on full display at joyous and communal events across the city this month. 

These celebrations are the perfect example of what Open Plans advocates for - the adaptive, diverse use of our public space for things far beyond the movement and storage of cars. We will continue to show the City that these program aren't just popular and enriching, they're essential. We look forward to a future where opening the street to pedestrians is a go-to for holidays, milestone events, community gatherings, and every day fun and games.

We love public space so much that we're hosting a night of awards to honor the hardworking New Yorkers who make our city the vibrant, people-centered place it is. Save the date for the second annual Public Space Awards party on February 29, 2024! More coming soon on awardees, sponsorship opportunities, and tickets. 

The Department of City Planning has proposed ending parking mandates citywide in their newest zoning text amendment - a move that has proven to boost affordable housing & livability for cities across the country. But first, they need to hear from you that lifting parking mandates is a smart & popular step forward.

Submit a letter >

The latest Streetfilm follows a bike ride through Brooklyn (part of Transportation Alternative's Vision Zero Cities conference) as bike bus organizers Sam Balto, Megan Ramey and Emily Stutts shared anecdotes and advice from their individual experiences starting community bike buses. Hear from organizers around the country on how you can start a bike bus! 

Watch >

Come and join the Open Plans community on Thursday, February 29th (leap day!) for a festive celebration of the people behind our city’s defining public spaces. From neighborhood-level ingenuity to citywide stewardship, the second annual Public Space Awards cheers the leaders and groups that nurture daily life in New York City’s public forum.

Mark your calendars >

✍️ Bike Brooklyn wants you to sign their petition asking the City to redesign the dangerous stretch of 4th Avenue in Bay Ridge to work better for pedestrians and micromobility users.

👶🏽 We'll be at Child Health Day in Astoria Park on Saturday, November 4th from 9:30AM to 10:15AM. UP-STAND hosts this family event with kid's activities, adult exercises, a teeshirt giveaway and more.

✍️ Sign this petition to urge the NYC Council to a pass bill that would significantly reduce helicopter traffic, and noise pollution, over NYC.

Open Plans |  377 Broadway, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10013-3907

[browser link available in email] | unsubscribe