Tag Archives: survey

Plans afoot for a makerspace?

MakerSpace Urbana, Feb-2012There’s an online survey being conducted by some folks attempting to gauge interest in opening a makerspace here in metro Birmingham. Also known as hackerspaces, they’ve gained increased popularity in recent years here in the United States.

They are normally facilities that can resemble workshops where members have access to the equipment and space necessary to pursue whatever creative interests they might have. Classes may also be offered as opportunities to learn about and develop new skills. The landing page for the survey suggests while the organizers are envisioning a facility, they may start out offering a web-based resource that allows for organizing classes in the area.

It would actually be the second known attempt at establishing such a space in Birmingham in recent years. Local coworking space Sparkbox used to host makerspace sessions in their original home on the city’s Southside.

A link to the eight-question survey has been shared on Facebook by Jared Fulton – a status update where he included the space or concept “will be about developing and cultivating Birmingham’s growing community of makers and creatives.”

Interested in learning more about the concept? There was a phone number included in the post – Bruce Lanier’s (222-8226). You can also check out what’s been described as the international directory for the hackerspace movement. There’s also this site making the connection between making and education.

Photo: MakerSpace Urbana, Feb-2012maltman23/Flickr.

Baseball downtown? Survey tries to find out if it’s possible

Baseball. theseanster93/FlickrSeveral people have received emails in recent days linking to a survey that is part of a privately financed study to “determine the feasibility of building a new ballpark in downtown Birmingham that could become the new home of the Birmingham Barons minor league baseball team.”

There has been several hints in recent years that some people would like to see the Barons return to playing within the city limits of Birmingham.

In April, the Birmingham Business Journal told readers that approximately $40,000 in private funds had been put up for the study.

Several reports last summer mentioned the Merita bakery across from the soon-to-be completed Railroad Park in Birmingham’s Southside was a possible location, though not specific site has been suggested in the 27-question survey. The story received new attention in January when Birmingham City Councilor Johnathan Austin suggested that the city providing additional financial support for a survey.

Photo: Baseball. theseanster93/Flickr

Π is nice

Terminal bday logoToday, The Terminal turns Pi (or 3.14). I’d be using the symbol but our font of choice is being finicky. There are so many things going on this evening that my game plan is to head over to The Bottletree by 4 p.m. (probably sooner) and hang out for a while. Hopefully you’ve got a moment to stop by and say hello.

On a related topic, there has never been a reader’s poll for The Terminal, though it was becoming obvious that we needed to conduct one. Thankfully, the folks at the Reynolds Journalism Institute would like for our readers to participate in this user survey specific to the site. The results submitted by our visitors will be supplied to us and included in an overall study of online local news sites.

I’d ask that you be as honest as humanly possible as it’s part of a plan to determine how best to serve the folks traveling along with us and how this site can best serve you. I’ve got some other thoughts about it and the whole local media ecosystem over on my Birmingham today.

Creative collaborative community – that’s the plan

Today I’m starting to test the waters virtually to determine whether or not we’ll open our own office later this summer. The space would double as a coworking community for some of the city’s creatives and a physical home for us to host events related to content on the site.

There’s a new section in the process of being built out that currently has a post explaining what’s on my mind (at least, the first of many that will explain) as well as a survey that will help us determine if we can responsibly move forward with the process. The new section will also be used this spring and summer to help folks get a better understanding about just what coworking is and take a look at some of the other coworking communities taking shape in Birmingham.

The hope for the short term is that those of you that are freelancers and solopreneurs (and potential sponsors) will consider filling out the survey and passing the link on to as many people as possible.

We’ll keep you updated on what’s going on.

Help draw Birmingham’s blueprint

Blueprint BirminghamYou don’t have much time left to help the Birmingham Business Alliance draw up a blueprint for The Magic City’s future.

An online survey is now available through tomorrow (December 23) that allows for you to add your voice to this planning initiative. Market Street Services of Atlanta, GA has coordinated the effort that has included focus group meetings with business leaders, area young professionals and others considered key stakeholders in Birmingham’s future. It appears that the final report which will be posted online, demonstrating the transparency that BBA president Dalton Smith spoke of when the new organization launched earlier this year.

What do you think of Birmingham’s image?

The Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce wants to know. They’ve contracted with Samford University‘s Brock School of Business Marketing to do a survey of all of us so they know what we think of Birmingham’s image, in particular the city’s strengths and areas that it needs to work on. It takes three minutes to complete it (tops), (and you’ll be joining at least 400 people who’ve already completed it) so what’s keeping you from clicking here and doing it. Oh yeah, the password is bham (and you’ve only got until Friday (11.21) to complete it).