Nov. 2017: Ilisa Goldman, founder, owner, and principal of Rooted In Place, a local landscape architecture and consulting firm, has won Circulate San Diego’s Local Hero Award. This award is given to an individual who has served as a community advocate dedicated to improving mobility choices and smart growth principles, has generated community interest and political support for their improvement plans, has created a positive impact in their community, and has inspired others to join in their efforts.
Goldman specializes in creating neighborhood public spaces and dynamic outdoor learning environments for children of all ages to play, learn, and develop a relationship with nature. Using design as a means for social change, much of her practice is dedicated to helping communities improve and transform their neighborhood spaces. One project she was involved with is the Loma Portal Elementary School’s Ecological Schoolyard. Driven by her knowledge and personal time, she worked to create what is now a functioning and still-growing Ecological Schoolyard. Through her efforts, Loma Portal Elementary students have an amazing outdoor science lab, and the staff has a healthier environment in which to teach and work.
In making their decision, the jury commented that: she is emblematic of what a true volunteer is all about; has the patience of a saint(!); and has inspired other parents with her community-building efforts.
The Connectivity Award was given to San Diego Canyonlands, and recognizes a project that involves an urban trail, path, bridge, underpass that improves pedestrian, bicycle or transit connectivity; has been implemented or has been approved for implementation by the local jurisdiction, and has garnered community support.
San Diego Canyonlands is a non-profit that promotes, protects and restores urban canyons through education and community stewardship, particularly involving neighborhood schools. Improved connectivity across the canyons within the City Heights neighborhood became a Canyonlands focus because existing unplanned routes were difficult for children and others to use because they were extremely steep and were sloughing surface soils into downstream watersheds during winter rains. This was forcing children to use much longer on-street routes when there was the potential for trails through the canyons to serve as appealing shortcuts.
While they didn’t receive an award per se, John Holloway and Mark Carpenter of KTUA provided technical assistance during the design and Holloway provided on-site support during construction, and joined Canyonlands on the stage to accept their award.
The awards jury applauded the project as addressing an important need in an urban community that will enhance mobility for Safe Routes to School as well as recreation.
