The project began as an initiative by Mishlama Jaffa to replace the play equipment in a central garden in the heart of the Ajami neighborhood. Initially, the plan was limited to upgrading the equipment. However, observations of the garden and its surroundings revealed a vibrant hub of activity, with heavy pedestrian traffic and diverse groups of people of all ages using the space. Conversations with visitors underscored the garden’s importance, highlighting its historical and social significance to the community. It became evident that the community’s needs went far beyond replacing play equipment, and that additional stakeholders needed to be involved. To guide the intervention, we launched a public engagement process aimed at identifying barriers, opportunities, and actionable insights. A festive public event was held in the garden, featuring activity stations where over 550 responses were collected regarding potential uses, preferred features, and residents’ sentiments about the space. Focus groups were also conducted with neighborhood residents, and we also met with local community leaders to gather additional input.
The findings revealed the community’s strong desire to preserve the garden as a space for gatherings and social interactions. Residents expressed an emotional connection to the garden, rooted in its long-standing history, its role as a hub for community interactions, and its legacy as a historic meeting place for Jaffa’s fishermen. At the same time, residents raised concerns about safety and the garden’s overall condition, pointing to outdated and hazardous play equipment, unregulated traffic, a lack of seating, poor maintenance and cleanliness, and insufficient gardening work.
This process highlighted the garden’s profound importance to residents and provided the rationale for increasing the municipal budget for its renovation. Recognizing that simply installing new equipment would fail to address the deeper needs of the community, we partnered with the City Beautification Department to design a comprehensive transformation
Community feedback was distilled into actionable insights and integrated into the renovation plan, alongside Urban95 principles for creating public spaces that encourage play and cater to the needs of young children and their caregivers. Throughout the year-long renovation, we maintained open communication with the community, sharing the results of the public engagement process, publishing the finalized plan, and displaying detailed explanations of the project on signage around the construction site.
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Participating municipal units: The Community, Culture, and Sports Administration; Mishlama Jaffa; the City Beautification Department.
