The Chestnut Hill Conservancy is hosting a community listening session on Aug. 5 from 6-8 p.m. at Our Mother of Consolation (OMC) Parish Hall and virtually for those who register. The goal of the meeting is to better understand how residents experience and value historic buildings, architecture, landscapes, and places in Chestnut Hill.

According to Chrissy Clawson, director of programs and communications at the Conservancy, this session is the first of its kind and has been an “exciting collaborative project” for the organization. Clawson said the Conservancy is hopeful that the room will be filled with a broad diversity of ages, experiences, and perspectives.

“The broader the room, the longer the table, the more curiosity and creativity everyone can bring to the conversation,” Clawson said. “We’re really excited and we hope that people ask different questions or notice different things and bring different experiences with them. It’s one of the reasons why we really wanted to start with a true listening session rather than predetermined outcomes.”

The session will be moderated, beginning with a short presentation. Guests can fill boards with notes answering questions such as “What places tell the story of this community?” and “What places would you miss if they were gone?” There will be plenty of opportunities for participation — asking questions, responding to prompts, and sharing insights.

The Conservancy also released a community survey prior to the meeting to help inform the organization of preservation challenges and opportunities.

After the meeting, the Conservancy will share a summary with the community.

“We are going to review the feedback, identify themes, prepare the executive summary, and responses will be shared anonymously, not attributed to individual participants,” Clawson said. “We are going to share an executive summary with the entire community. …We really believe that closing the loop is important.”

To register for the listening session, visit chconservancy.org.