Closer with Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace

Closer is a conversation about the strategies that make cities social – and why that’s the smartest investment in the urban toolkit.The show is hosted by Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace.

Closer with Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace is a society podcast hosted by markcwr, with 27 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

markcwr hosts Closer with Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace, a society show with 27 episodes published.

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  Episode #27

  Can Public-Private Partnerships Raise the Ambitions of Public Parks? — Tony Sorrentino of Fairmount Park Conservancy

  Sep 24, 202640 minS1

  In this episode of CLOSER, Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace talk with Tony Sorrentino, President and CEO of Fairmount Park Conservancy in Philadelphia. Tony explains how the Conservancy supplements the city’s resources through fundraising, planning, ecological restoration, historic preservation, and public programming. The conversation explores who should pay for beauty and innovation in public space, why clear roles and constant communication are essential to successful public-private partnerships. Tony also offers practical advice for anyone creating a conservancy: respect the public partner, embrace some ambiguity, never surprise one another, and approach the work with humility and a spirit of public service. CLOSER is a conversation hosted by Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace about the strategies that make cities more social and why that is the smartest investment in the urban toolkit.

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  Episode #26

  How Walking Brings a City Closer - Laura Conely of Urban Paths in Houston

  Sep 17, 202632 minS1

  Can a simple walk change how we see our city and one another? In this episode of CLOSER, Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace talk with Laura Conley, founder of Urban Paths. For 15 years, Laura has led walks across Houston that bring people together through movement, nature, public art, connection, and the practice of noticing. Laura explains how group walking can do more than support physical and mental well-being. In the relaxed rhythm of moving together, strangers begin to connect, assumptions soften, and small shifts in perception accumulate. Laura discusses a recent research pilot and how small nudges can help strangers to meet each other. CLOSER is a conversation about the strategies that make cities social, and why that’s the smartest investment in the urban toolkit. New episodes are released every Thursday.

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  Episode #25

  Parks Are Doing More Than You Think - Catherine Nagel of City Parks Alliance

  Sep 10, 202639 minS1

  Parks aren’t just amenities. They’re essential city infrastructure. In this episode of Closer, Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace talk with Catherine Nagel, longtime executive director of City Parks Alliance, about the evolving role of urban parks and the legacy of her more than two decades of leadership. How can parks address challenges ranging from public health and climate resilience to economic development and social isolation? And what does it take to secure the funding, partnerships and public support needed to sustain them? Catherine explains why parks must be understood as flexible, multi-use infrastructure; how cities including Atlanta, Philadelphia and Detroit are connecting public space to broader civic priorities; and why effective advocacy begins with data and strong local coalitions. She also explores the role of thoughtful programming, community engagement and a welcoming “hosting” mindset in turning parks into places where people from different backgrounds form meaningful connections. Closer is a conversation hosted by Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace about the strategies that make cities more social, and why that is the smartest investment in the urban toolkit.

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  Episode #24

  What Public Pools Can Teach Us About Bringing People Together - Ben Bryant of Interface Studios

  Aug 27, 202645 minS1

  How often do major investments in civic space fall short of their potential for lack of a few small enhancements? And why are private pools so much more beautiful and inviting than our public ones? In this episode of Closer, Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace talk with Ben Bryant, senior associate at Interface Studio, about Philadelphia’s Pop-Up Pool Project. Supported by the Knight Foundation, the project has become a model for Philadelphia and New York, inspiring the transformation of 40 public pools that collectively welcome more than half a million visitors each summer. Ben explains how relatively modest changes in design, programming, and operations can help public spaces bring people together across race and income. The conversation ranges from Aqua Zumba to MIT’s legendary Building 20, revealing a common principle: frequent, low-stakes encounters can turn existing places into engines of social connection, especially when the experience is fun and surprising. Closer is a conversation hosted by Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace about the strategies that make cities more social, and why that is the smartest investment in the urban toolkit.

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  Episode #23

  A Public Space Isn’t Social Until Someone Makes the Invitation - Dr. Leigh Graham of the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation

  Aug 13, 202636 minS1

  Bringing diverse people together in a public space is important, but recent research indicates that proximity alone does not create new connections. In this episode of Closer, Dr. Leigh Graham, senior advisor for innovation research at the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University shares early insights from research and pilots in parks across the country. Dr. Graham has been working with Carol on exploring how public spaces can become engines of social interaction across race, class, age, and other differences. What transforms strangers sharing a space into people who actually engage with one another? And how can public-space leaders make that happen intentionally, affordably, and at scale? The conversation explores the power of simple prompts, welcoming gestures, and staff who see themselves as hosts. It also examines why weak ties matter, how practitioners can use research without becoming academics, and why creating social connection may require little more than giving people permission to say hello. Closer is a conversation hosted by Carol Coletta and Mark Wallace about the strategies that make cities more social, and why that is the smartest investment in the urban toolkit.

  ListenShow Notes

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