Viva Streets

HOW TO:

● select a location,

● plan for street closures,

● schedule the event,

● plan fun activities as part of event, and

● “brand” it for your particular community

AND...

● lessons learned.

AGENDA

● Link parks,

● Adjacent local eateries and businesses (potential partners),

● Good bicycle/pedestrian connections,

● Motor vehicle parking/transit accommodations,

● Community neighborhood support, and

● Available open space.

HOW TO SELECT A LOCATION:

● Type III barricades (state law),

● Consider points of entry,

● Volunteers,

● Police, and

● Contracted Professionals.

HOW TO PLAN FOR STREET CLOSURES

● Good weather,

● Work with your City’s special events team,

● Coordinate with existing events? Holidays?

HOW TO SCHEDULE THE EVENT

* Outreach to groups and organizations

* Juggling* Dancing* Sports Groups/Teams* Yoga* Gyms* Roller derby* Hula Hoops* Bouncy House* Water Slides* City/other jurisdictions* Bike Shops* Outdoor stores

* Encourage local businesses to participate and “own” their frontage.* Clear schedule on-line and promoted beforehand.* Encourage engaging ACTIVITIES.

How to Plan Fun Activities as Part of the Event

HOW TO “BRAND” THE EVENT

• Youtube• Facebook• Website• Logo• T-Shirts• Instagram• Champion/Advocate• Radio• TV• Daily Newspaper• Weekly• Groups/Orgs Outreach

LESSONS LEARNED: What worked

• Some were active for the first time in a long time.

• Others felt more comfortable riding and walking in the streets.

• Some businesses thought it worked great to bring drive-by traffic.

LESSONS LEARNED: What could be better

• Current model not sustainable

• Full time organizer needed

• Outside funding/grants needed

• Project lead outside City structure

• Best if supported by the City, but the City does not need to pay the bill.

• Austin worn out on events, especially in the dense downtown area.

• Hard to drive different demographics to central location.

• Shut down IH-35, SH-130, or Mopac to get the attention that it truly deserves.

• People are so conditioned to a running event that they get confused.

• To stay inclusive & free - sponsors need to understand urgency of sustainability.

Did it work?

• Effectiveness difficult to measure

• Only two events

• Potential funders want to see more success

HOW MUCH DID IT COST?

2013

City Sponsored (APD, EMS, Traffic Control Plan, Permits, Waste Removal)

$21,000

Private Sponsorships - marketing, toilets, printing, tee-shirts, etc.

$18,000

Total $39,000 (cost of event $38,000)

ATTENDANCE*

2012: 20,000

2013: 25,000

*Based on grid estimates, entrances and exits along the 2 mile route and could include lots of people coming and going. Very difficult to

estimate.

NEXT STEPS: September• GAVA – “GO AUSTIN, VAMOS AUSTIN” program out of Foundation

Communities, funded by Michael and Susan Dell (MSDF).

• Southeast Austin: William Cannon between S. 1st Street and Brodie.

• MSDF may match whatever Viva Streets raises.

Viva Streets