Emerson Park Data Book

[ Data Book ]

V. Resident Perceptions through Cognitive MappingArchival Data on Emerson Park

Long-term residents, business persons and institutional leaders (pastors, principles, coaches) in every community possess a great deal of information regarding the neighborhood where they live, work and serve. Community revitalization plans which tap this enormous reservoir of community knowledge are much more likely to produce the most beneficial and appropriate outcomes. On February 11^th, residents of Emerson Park participated in a Cognitive Mapping Exercise to identify the most important features of the neighborhood.

With the assistance of planning and design students from the University of Illinois, the residents used color markers to highlight the following key characteristics of the neighborhood on large maps.

1. Traditional boundaries;
2. Sub-areas or districts;
3. Strengths and assets;
4. Opportunities;
5. Weaknesses and problem areas; and
6. Threats.

The results of each small team were shared with the all attendees and one map was created representing consensus on the most important features of Emerson Park. The collective map results are show on Map 5.1

This exercise was the first step at creating a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis of Emerson Park.

Sub-Areas	Strengths and Assets	Opportunities	Weaknesses and Problem Areas	Threats
Industrial area	Lessie Bates Davis	Cannaday School	Prostitution Strip	Viaduct
	EPDC	Hillcrest Hotel	Crime	Elimentis
	Parson's Field		Hillcrest Hotel
	Immaculate Conception Church
	Cannaday Park
	New Housing

Map 5.1: Cognitive Mapping Exercise: Strengths and Weaknesses

Document author(s) : Cathy Klump
Last modified: 13 October 1999, Deanna Koenigs