Tactical Urbanism Leading To Long Term Changes In Indy
Article by Michael Field
SPARK MONUMENT CIRCLE 2015 BY THE NUMBERS
Compiled by Big Car Collaborative/Spark staff using data from visitor surveys (519 respondents) and from game renters (1,462) — Aug. 1-Oct. 16, 2015.
More than 45,000 visitors enjoyed Spark programming or seating over the 11 weeks
Spark offered **more than 300 human-scale program opportunities **
Spark employed 125 artists and worked with more than 50 cultural and business partners
Monument Circle business owners reported up to a 20% increase in sales during Spark
**Average reported increase time spent at the Circle because of Spark ** • 85% more time spent at the Circle because of Spark • Time spent ranged from 30 minutes to one hour. (Only three people reported spending less time on the circle because of Spark).
Time visitors spent at Spark:
-30 minutes to an hour (38%)
-More than an hour (37%)
-15 to 30 minutes (20%)
-Just passing through (6%)
Spark visitor home breakdown (of 1,975 visitors asked for zip codes)
63% of came from Indianapolis
20% from the six-county suburban region surrounding the city (Hamilton County 6%, Hendricks County 5%, Johnson County 3%)
6% from elsewhere in Indiana
10% percent from out of state
2% from outside of America
Spark encouraged nearly three times the amount of people to sit outside on Monument Circle.
• On a typical good-weather Wednesday, lunchtime before and after Spark, fewer than 50 people sat outside around Monument Circle. During Spark, the average — on days with good weather — was 145.
• On Sundays, before an after Spark, about 12 people sat outside at lunchtime on Monument Circle on nice days. During Spark, the average was 44.
How people traveled to Monument Circle:
-Walking (41 %)
-Motor vehicle (Not in a carpool) (36 %)
-Bicycle (10 %)
-Motor vehicle (In a carpool) (9 %)
-Public Transit (4 %)
47 percent said Spark was what brought them back to Monument Circle
Why? Top 3 answers
-
The number of people
-
The visibility
-
The variety of activities
85% of visitors had a conversation with someone new at Spark, 30% of them reporting that they don’t usually talk with people they don’t know.
24% of people visited Spark alone or 76% in groups.
Top Spark activities (some not listed)
Game Rentals (61%)
Music/sound art (25%)
Wagon of Wonders (23%)
Bookmobile (9%)
Ask-an-Expert (8%)
Theme Walk (4%)
**Top 5 programming improvements visitors enjoyed (ranked in order): **
Game rentals
Free events
Family friendly activities
Cultural experiences
Everyday activities
Article by Mike Field