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Resolve to keep Silver Spring cool
Discover — or rediscover — a third place in '07 |
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Suddenly, it's January. The weeks that many of you spent preparing for the holidays are over, something for which you may be grateful. Or perhaps you're feeling a bit wistful, slightly adrift. What to do now?
After celebrating with good cheer, and consuming more than your normal share of calories, it could be that you've resolved to exercise more frequently in the new year, your physical health and appearance having suddenly emerged as a priority. In this case, gyms or fitness centers are on your mind, not coffeehouses, cafes, taverns, or diners.
And yet, as the cold of winter settles in, January is a perfect time to resolve to discover or rediscover a favorite local hang-out or "third place."
This might not be the solution for shedding extra pounds, but working these places into your schedule could contribute to a happier, healthier psyche, and, as a result, better health all around. If you're unconvinced--or if frequenting such places strikes you a tad self-indulgent--take a moment to consider how these gathering spots benefit both you and the community.
A retreat from home and work--and much more
Not familiar with the "third place" concept? Here's some background.
| Photo: Julie Wiatt |  | | Even kids need a "third space." Frank Cassel, the Banjo Man gives local children an excuse for an outing to Mayorga Café. |
Ray Oldenburg, the sociologist who coined the phrase, was in search of a label to describe a wide swath of informal community gathering places that exist outside of home ("first places") and work ("second places.") Based on his observations and research, he found that public settings as diverse as beauty parlors and barber shops, pubs and taverns, book and record stores, coffeehouses and diners promote personal health and well-being. They do this, he argued, by prompting people to put aside their usual concerns and simply enjoy the company and conversation that surround them. Laughter, that other proven tonic, is a key component.
The bottom line, Oldenburg concluded, is that third places provide a refuge or escape from the demands of the other primary settings of our lives, a source of friendship and sociability. This is especially important as growing numbers of us live or work alone and move or change jobs frequently
At the same time, third places contribute to the health and vitality of the community.
Frankie Blackburn, Executive Director of IMPACT Silver Spring comments, "I often say to people that retail establishments play a major role in building community. Many retail shops are the one place we all go and often the only place we really experience our community's diversity."
Components of a cool town
Try to imagine Silver Spring if the Tastee Diner, Quarry House Tavern, and Kefa Café suddenly disappeared. A vibrant downtown would lose much of its local flavor because unique gathering places like these lend character to a community.
At the same time, these businesses play a role in fostering a stronger local economy. As I pointed out last month, dollars spent in local businesses circulate far more widely through the community than those given to chains. Homegrown third places are no exception.
Neil Takemoto, founding director of CoolTown Studios in Washington, DC, contends that a 'cool town' is full of great third places. "If you aren't motivated to leave home or your workplace," he writes on CoolTown's blog, "chances are you don't live around too many successful third places."
Fortunately for us, Silver Spring is home to several successful third places and new ones are joining them, something for which Blackburn is grateful. "Comfortable, affordable, welcoming space," she says, "is a critical missing ingredient in Silver Spring and our quest to build a thriving, multicultural community."
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