Public Realm

Published on October 01, 2023

What is Public Realm?
In the simplest of terms, Public Realm is publicly owned places that are open and accessible to everyone; it includes streets, sidewalks, alleys, parks, squares, plazas, trails, civic buildings, public transportation… you get the picture. In Economic Development, Public Realm has a much more profound meaning. “Placemaking” reinvents open, public areas into shared, human-centered spaces where connections to one another are seeded and celebrated; where the health, well-being, and happiness of the community can be cultivated, nurtured, and shared. 

John R. Lawrence Pioneer Park
If you live in Dunedin, you know John R. Lawrence Pioneer Park. You probably missed it this Summer while it was under construction. The heart of downtown Dunedin, JRL Pioneer Park is central to our arts scene and cultural vibrancy. It’s home to our downtown market on the weekends and becomes a beautiful music venue during the many festivals hosted here.
The recent renovation has made this beautiful public realm space more accessible with wide walkways, more beautiful with landscaping, and more functional with a water fountain; and those benches waiting to be delivered will be much appreciated. BUT, it’s not over yet.
The park was officially opened on November 9th with a ribbon-cutting event, however, there will be more celebrations to come.
The art mural designed by world-renowned artist Suzi K. Edwards is tentatively scheduled to be installed in February. The mosaic panels, eight in total, will highlight the unique attributes of the city that make it such a special place to live. The panels will be installed on the knee high “walls” on the Main St. side of the park. Each wall will have 2 panels on each side measuring 3’X8’ with images of fish, food, sports, flowers, nature, and wildlife, just to name a few. Suzi K. Edwards is a master of mosaics and the installation of this final piece in JRL Pioneer Park will be another cause for celebration. We’ll keep you posted…