2023 Pennsylvania Great Places
Congratulations to the 2023 Great Places in PA Award Winners!
The Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association is proud to announce the 2023 Great Places in PA. Great Places are unique, memorable places that display a wealth of best practices in community planning, serve as a community focal point, and strengthen the local economy. They also demonstrate the rewarding results that occur through planning, partnerships, and community engagement.
2023 marks an important milestone in the Great Places in PA program – 10 Years of designating Great Places throughout the Commonwealth. This has included a mix of Great Greenways/Trails, Neighborhoods, Public Spaces, Streets, and Transformations.
For 2023, the categories were Great Public Spaces and Great Transformations. Two Great Places were designated in each category. There are now 55 designated “Great Places in PA” located in 33 of the Commonwealth’s 67 counties.
Great Public Spaces
A Great Public Space is a vibrant place that fosters a sense of community through people of all ages and abilities gathering to play, socialize, enjoy a meal or concert, relax, or just enjoy the outdoors. It is a focal point for community events, which bring people together and bolster the economy. Below are the 2023 Great Public Spaces.
Great Transformations
A Great Transformation is revitalization of a place that was not thriving, and which was negatively impacting a community. Examples include a deteriorated shopping center or building retrofitted to be a viable use, a failing commercial or industrial corridor revitalized to be economically viable, a rejuvenated neighborhood, an historic rehabilitation, and a brownfield to park conversion. Transformations strengthen communities and the local economy.