Civic-led public space: Favourable conditions for the management of community gardens

Public space is increasingly developed and managed by actors other than local governments, ranging from citizens to corporations. This article investigates the role of local citizens as managers of five community gardens in the Netherlands. It aims to unravel conditions required for such civic-led initiatives to thrive in the management phase. Our in-depth interviews with volunteers revealed three important conditions for maintaining these gardens: (1) fully connected cooperation with a 'fun factor', (2) strong neighbourhood involvement, and (3) lively places of encounter. Overarching these conditions is the need for a flexible and resilient organisation structure to respond to changing circumstances.