The third place

Hope lies not with the expert or the official but with those who use the environment built for them and find it wanting. (Oldenburg,xxx)

...is a term used in the concept of community building to refer to social surroundings separate from the two usual social environments of home and the workplace. In his book The Great Good Place, Ray Oldenburg argues that third places are important for civil society, democracy, civic engagement and establishing a sense of place.

Third places, then, are "anchors" of community life and facilitate and foster broader, more creative interaction. All societies already have informal meeting places; what is new in modern times is the intentionality of seeking them out as vital to current societal needs. Oldenburg suggests these hallmarks of a true "third place": free or inexpensive; food and drink, while not essential, are important; highly accessible: proximate for many (walking distance); involve regulars-those who habitually congregate there; welcoming and comfortable; both new friends and old should be found there.

This theme is played out in many different TV shows and movies. For example in the TV show "Cheers", which is set in urban Boston, sets nearly all of its episodes in the front room of the Cheers bar.

A friend mentioned the other day the idea of church becoming our third place. Yet another friend mentioned becoming a regular at multiple venues where we have spent time recently.

What is your third place?