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Learn from Experience
Posted by Katie Hargrave | May 9th, 2010
On Thursday, April 22nd, Jethro Heiko, Strategic Organizing Director for the Action Mill spoke at the Academy of Natural Sciences on planning and development issues facing the Delaware Riverfront. Jethro spoke about the value of resident participation, community organizing and planning in the successful efforts to save Fenway Park and related these experiences to the ongoing efforts to defeat casinos proposed for Philadelphia's waterfront while advancing a sustainable, public waterfront for Philadelphia.
Jethro was joined on a panel by professionals in planning, development, advocacy and academia and provided a unique perspective often left out of such discussions: that the greatest value (social, economic, etc.) is garnered not from experts, developers or "great thinkers" but rather from residents themselves. How to harness this untapped value was demonstrated clearly in the struggle to save Fenway Park and the lessons from that successful effort can be taken to many current and future struggles over land and development.
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsbut-YZREE&feature=player_embedded]
Want to read more about the event?
