BEN's Bulletin (04/28/26)

The sun's coming out and so are we! This bulletin focuses on this Saturday's Jane's Walk, in partnership with Congress for a New Urbanism New England.

As always, join our monthly meeting every third Thursday at 7pm at Franklin TV or virtually at the following link: meet.ben4franklin.org.

Jane's Walk - Saturday, May 2

Join our fourth annual walking discussion of downtown Franklin! The free event is part of an international series in memory of social activist and placemaker Jane Jacobs. The ~1.5-hour tour will explore how land use decisions impact the look and feel of streets and neighborhoods, celebrate culture, highlight history, and promote economic development.

The walk will start at Franklin TV (23 Hutchinson Street) at 10:30am. Parking is available on site.
All are welcome, including paws and wheels!
This year, we will be joined by regional planning professionals from Congress for a New Urbanism (CNU) New England!
Stick around after the walk for pizza, refreshments, and further reflections!

For further information and to RSVP, visit ben4franklin.org/janes-walk-2026.

Jane Jacobs (1916-2006) was a writer, urbanist, and activist who championed a community-based approach to city-building. Despite no formal training as a planner, her 1961 book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, introduced ground-breaking ideas about how cities function, evolve, and fail that have become conceptual pillars for today’s architects, planners, policymakers, activists, and other city builders. Jacobs lived in Greenwich Village until 1968, where she helped push back on car-centered urban planning and invigorated neighborhood activism.

Jane's Walk was founded in 2006 by a group of Jacobs’ friends and colleagues as a way to honor her life and activate her ideas. Over the next decade, the movement saw rapid global uptake by urban activists around the world. The movement continues to grow every year and has now reached over 500 cities!

CNU New England is the regional chapter of CNU, the nation's leading organization promoting walkable, mixed-use neighborhood development, sustainable communities, and healthier living conditions. CNU have met nationally since 1993, with the New England chapter starting in 2004. Its members include public and private sector leaders, community activists, and multidisciplinary professionals.