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  • Real-world Minecraft mod: How the popular video game is transforming parks and other public spaces

    Popular video game Minecraft, an easy-to-use game where users construct the world around them, has been used by UN-Habitat in 40 projects across 35 cities in 25 countries to design public spaces. The accessible platform allows laypeople to quickly mockup what they would want in a public park or space, which is valuable community input for architects and urban designers.

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  • How to bring a high street back from the dead

    Revive local high streets by creating informal spaces for people to linger. That’s the lesson from Bishopthorpe Road in York. Once barely hanging on, Bishy Road’s fortunes changed when shopkeepers decided to band together, close off the road, and host a street party. Thousands of people showed up. The shops have continued to build spaces for people to relax and hang out, and the high street is now voted one of Britain’s best.

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  • Sharing Public Spaces to Improve Public Health

    Joint use policies turn communal spaces—such as schools and churches—during off-hours into a place for public health programs. This can be especially impactful in communities were the ability to exercise outside can be curtailed by lack of green space, environmental issues, or public safety concerns.

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  • How Mount Vernon turned an old industrial site into a stunning park

    Mount Vernon’s Ariel-Foundation Park is largely a success story of balancing historical preservation with recreational growth. The park sits where there used to be a glass manufacturing plant. Rather than hide this, the design of the 250-acre park maintains the identity of the industrial past while still creating a beautiful green space. Through individual leadership, donations from private institutions, and support from the local government, the park is thriving today. (This is the fourth article in a four part series).

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  • A Cure for Disconnection

    The antidote to loneliness is meaningful contact, which means time and space where you are your authentic self with other people. Roughly 40 percent of Americans report regularly feeling lonely, so many individuals and groups are working to create communities that deliberately foster close social bonds, such as cohousing developments.

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  • 'The magic of cinema': the club supporting older people with HIV

    While treatment has stabilized the physical health of people living with HIV/AIDS, their diagnosis can be isolating and—for people over 50–the death of friends during the 80s and 90s may lead to increased social isolation. To provide a social activity among a group of peers, the Silver Surfers Club was founded in London offering screenings of classic films for people with HIV diagnoses.

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  • A Brighter Future for Run-Down Basketball Courts

    Dozens of basketball courts around the United States have received a beautiful and functional make-over. Project Backboard cleans, fixes, and beautifies outdoor basketball courts, effectively revitalizing the social practices of sport. The nonprofit hires local artists to work with communities, and those communities need to approve the artists’ designs before they are painted. Foundations have invested in this initiative, with its value being a key component to urban renewal.

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  • From Stopping Point to Destination

    Challis, Idaho is a small town, where mining and ranching are the main economies - but with employment and revenue down, the town is turning to recreation to bolster the economy. A collaboration between the Great Basin Institute, the Challis Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management, and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation founded the Lombard Trail, a trail meant for recreation and ATV use that is bringing money into Challis.

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  • A Place to Play, on Wheels or Feet

    Children with disabilities often feel excluded in amusement parks where they are prevented from going on rides, and they don't feel included with the other children. Morgan's Wonderland amusement park and Morgan's Inspiration island water park are designed for children or adults with disabilities but can also be used by able-bodied individuals.

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  • In Thailand, kickboxing is becoming more popular with women. Chiang Mai is at the leading edge.

    Changing the culture around kickboxing in Thailand creates more opportunities for female fighters. Although cultural traditions still bar female fighters from events at official stadiums, the culture of kickboxing is changing in Chiang Mai. Local gyms and city stadiums interested in attracting more tourism have banned the practice of gambling on fights and have worked to make the national Muay Thai association more inclusive to women. Today, the city is a hot spot for female fighters in Thailand who are interested in pursuing careers in contact sports.

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