Title: Integrating offline and online participation tools for engaging citizens in public space management: application in the peripheral town of Karditsa-Greece

Authors: Vasiliki Krommyda; Giorgos Somarakis; Anastasia Stratigea

Addresses: Department of Geography and Regional Planning, School of Rural and Surveying Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Zografou, 15780, Greece ' Department of Geography and Regional Planning, School of Rural and Surveying Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Zografou, 15780, Greece ' Department of Geography and Regional Planning, School of Rural and Surveying Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Zografou, 15780, Greece

Abstract: Due to the escalating urbanisation trend and commercialisation of public space (PS), degradation of this space is an emerging issue in many urban contexts. Since PS constitutes the ground for socio-political action and community interaction, while it demarcates local identity and sense of belonging, its sustainable management and regeneration as well as strengthening of its functionalities attracts communities' interest. The focus of this paper is on community engagement in PS management through the development of a participatory planning framework, integrating offline/online tools and approaches. This framework is tested in a peripheral town of the Greek territory, seeking to end up with an inclusive, vision-driven, strategic plan for PS regeneration. Outcomes produced provide evidence on both the performance of the proposed framework and related participation tools (level of community engagement) for serving the goal of the planning exercise; and the impact of community engagement on the final outcome of this exercise.

Keywords: public space management and regeneration; community engagement; participatory planning; participation tools; offline and online participation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEG.2019.098806

International Journal of Electronic Governance, 2019 Vol.11 No.1, pp.89 - 115

Received: 18 Dec 2017
Accepted: 23 May 2018
Published online: 02 Apr 2019 *

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