Today, many hundreds of the city’s horse rings are adorned with small horses and the like, placed by countless, random individuals playing their own small role in something larger than themselves.

Set expectations you know you can meet or exceed with each step. For a bike lane, benefits like safety, increased fairness, and recreation and lifestyle are realistic.

It seems everywhere I turn lately I stumble my way into a conversation on creative placemaking — people looking at the activation of public space as a way to further their personal and collective passions and pursuits. It’s heartening. I’m a firm...