OUR GOVERNMENT AT WORK: Town of Barnstable and “MassDevelopment” hope brightly colored plywood blocks will “spark discussion and raise awareness…”

TOWN OF BARNSTABLE MEDIA STATEMENT: Town of Barnstable and MassDevelopment Launch “Build Your Block: A Seat at the Table” Collective Placemaking Initiative [Hyannis, MA – September 17, 2024] The Town of Barnstable is proud to announce the launch of the Build Your Block: A Seat at the Table initiative, a community-driven project aimed at fostering civic engagement and promoting economic and community development in Hyannis. This project, part of the ongoing partnership between the Town of Barnstable’s Planning and Development Department, the Hyannis Main Street Business Improvement District (BID), local arts organizations: The Cordial Eye, the Hyannis Film Festival, and the Hyannis HyArts Cultural District, and MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI), is a testament to the power of creative placemaking and civic involvement. For two years, Hyannis has been part of the TDI Fellow program, a three-year initiative led by MassDevelopment to promote economic growth and community engagement in Gateway Cities like Hyannis. Under the direction of TDI Fellow Josie Santos, the program has strengthened partnerships between local stakeholders. About “Build Your Block: A Seat at the Table” The Build Your Block project is designed to spark discussion and raise awareness of civic action in local government decisions. As part of the initiative, twelve (12) plywood blocks have been fabricated and painted by community members at various summer events. These brightly colored blocks will be displayed throughout the Hyannis Main Street area, inviting residents and visitors alike to engage with important themes such as transportation, local businesses, housing, ecology, beautification, and arts and culture. The project is made possible by a $16,000 MassDevelopment cohort grant, which is dedicated to stimulating creative placemaking, civic engagement, and economic development in the district. Planning and Community Development themes of note that contribute to community development of Place include transportation, local businesses, housing, ecology, beautification, and arts and culture. The 12 blocks, ranging in various sizes from 18” to 36” square, when placed together, illustrate a collective Hyannis Main Street skyline. We are pleased to announce that the blocks will soon grace district open spaces and Main Street businesses for the Fall season. Main Street not-for-profits and local businesses will host and showcase the blocks in temporary and moveable fashion. Keep your eyes open for block arrangements, bright, fun and engaging seats, and placemaking opportunities. A collective, finished, unveiling of the Blocks will occur on at the open space parklet next to the Mariner Café, with a Hyannis Film Festival Screening, food, music and drink celebration. Sunday, October 20, 2024 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM – Open Streets ‘After Party’ Mariner Café Parklet, 282 Main Street, Hyannis Box fabrication was completed by students at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School (Harwich) and art direction is via local Barnstable artists and residents Beverley Roberts and Gabe Ribiero. Youth engagement was facilitated by Town of Barnstable intern and former Barnstable Youth Commission Chair Izzy Rudy. Come show everyone that Barnstable is a special and unique place with strong and caring community bonds.  Help paint our Blocks, to take a Seat ON our Block. To stay current with Barnstable happenings be sure to sign up for the Town of Barnstable’s app, MyBarnstable, a free notification system that can be downloaded from the Apple or Google Play Store to help you get the information about Town updates that you need, right at your fingertips 24/7. ABOUT THE PARTNERS: MassDevelopment: Established by the Massachusetts Development and Finance Agency, the TDI (Transformative Development Initiative) program is designed to promote economic growth and sustainability in walkable commercial districts in Massachusetts’ Gateway Cities. Hyannis Main Street Business Improvement District (BID):  Promotes the community and economic development of the Main Street, Hyannis district as a desirable place to live, work, invest and visit. Hyannis HyArts Cultural District: The first, state designated cultural district on Cape Cod, HyArts is a long-established commitment to making arts and culture an important facet of the Town’s economic development strategy as the arts are often undervalued for the contribution they play in a stable, well-educated, vibrant community to assist and encourage new business, job growth and tourism. The Cordial Eye: The Cordial Eye is a community arts organization based in Hyannis that strives to use the arts and arts education as a tool for expanding the definition of who belongs on Cape Cod and what it means to be a creative person here. We are dedicated to dismantling systems of oppression in our community by creating space for marginalized groups to amplify their impact in creating a more just and equitable world, through gathering, experimentation, exhibitions, and cultural expression. Hyannis Film Festival: Celebrating five years of bringing the art and culture of filmmaking back to downtown Hyannis that enhances cultural and economic growth for surrounding communities.