More than 100 experts on public spaces from all over the country came to see all the great things happening in Macon that has made us a national leader in civic engagement! Reimagining the Civic Commons (RCC) released a report on civic engagement, Investing with Intention: Our Four Outcomes, that focuses on the successes of two cities: Macon, GA and Lexington, KY.  

For three days this week, April 11 – 13, experts toured the city to learn about Macon’s public spaces and revitalization efforts, explore Downtown’s connection to the Historic Pleasant Hill neighborhood, and learn about the collaborative efforts to turn Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park into Georgia’s first National Park. For some it was their first time. 

“Before this I probably couldn’t have told you where Macon was on a map,” said New York City architect and urbanist Amanda Miller Amankona. “It’s been incredible to see what has been collectively accomplished. I think there are a lot of lessons to be learned as far as strategic areas of the work and the commitment to the city of Macon, to the downtown revitalization efforts, and making it a place that everyone is welcome and asked to be part of the table.” 

For others, like Roger Riddle, it was an eye-opening return to a place he called home from 1998 to 2015. Riddle now lives in Akron, Ohio as a marketing and brand consultant. During his time in Macon, he remembers he and his friends would sit around and talk about the potential the city had. 

“I remember when Downtown Macon only had a couple of bars and restaurants,” Riddle said. “Macon is for far beyond what we thought was possible. I couldn’t have imagined this. I’m so proud of everyone who has made this happen.” 

His last visit to Macon was in 2020 and says even three years later, he’s noticed a big difference. The group was able to visit sites like the newly reactivated Cotton Avenue Plaza, Capitol Theatre, Historic Pleasant Hill, Ocmulgee Mounds, Amerson River Park, Beall’s Hill, Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, and Tubman African American Museum, as well as visiting several restaurants and bars in Downtown. 

“During this trip, I’m looking at things Macon is doing and taking notes to see what we can do in Akron,” he said. “The purpose of trips like this are to take ideas back to our cities, but I had no idea I would take so many home with me.”  

Macon was selected because of our work to advance civic engagement and strengthen democracy through public spaces. For Macon, RCC cites the Macon Action Plan (MAP) as a national example of how cities can creatively involve residents in improving their communities. The RCC’s report cites the Macon team’s use of “democratized implementation,” meaning they actively engage people and groups in planning, designing, and building projects, as opposed to centralizing it with one organization. It was approved in 2015 after an 18 month-long planning process that was open to the entire community and included input from more than two thousand people through engaging public meetings and events, online forms, and more. 

With the Plan – thanks to initial funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Peyton Anderson Foundation ($1.5 million from each) and grant implementation by the Community Foundation of Central Georgia – the Downtown community and surrounding neighborhoods have completed eighty percent of the strategies and projects in the original plan. Downtown, through the success of MAP, has also attracted more than $400 million in additional public and private investment.