user132: http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2012/04/when-a-site-grows-quiet/

Next week, we’re shutting down six sites that fall into this category:

Astronomy
Economics
Literature
Firearms
Healthcare IT
Theoretical Physics


LEGO.SE which is very similar to Firearms in terms of age and statistics has been spared. I'm concerned that LEGO.SE may be at threat from any future site cull and is there anything we can and should be doing about it?

user99: While it's good to see Shog9's answer and that we were spared, I'd like to point out something I noticed, which I believe will be beneficial to the site in the long run.
Indeed, there are some users which are known AFOLs, such as Philippe Hurbain who still connects regularly (I wish he would answer the difficult NXT questions though) or Larry Pieniazek.
Now, maybe calling this a trend is overrated (although there are new users created regularly, even if not AFOLs - let's not forget that), but these are the kind of expert answerers we want. But I don't think our problem is on the answering side - as said, we've got a very high answered ratio.
So if the problem lies in the lack of questions, what can we do? One thing I wonder is if we aren't sometimes too harsh on some newcomers - sure, some questions maybe borderline, but we risk scaring off new users; if they feel their questions aren't welcome, they won't feel welcome either.

user63: 
I'm concerned that LEGO.SE may be at threat from any future site cull

Well, yes it is! In fact, as of last Friday morning, it was on my list to close. The activity has fallen off precipitously, to the point where the stats are worse than many of the sites that are being closed.
It's not closed right now because I wanted to try something, as sort of a precursor experiment to some changes we're planning for the site creation process. LEGO made a good candidate for this because it's a fairly accessible yet extremely niche topic, there's not much in the way of controversy here, and the community has shown themselves in the past to be fairly active in dealing with perceived issues - as evidenced by you posting this thread soon after the blog post went up (and long before I was ready with my planned post!)
So what's gonna happen?
Well, it'd be awesome if you somehow managed to bring in a bunch of new users and get this place hoppin'... But frankly, I don't really expect that given the trends. My current impression of the site is that we've simply tapped out the interest among the current SE audience.
So the experiment is simply: can you maintain what's already here? The one good stat on the Area 51 page right now is the 99% answered questions. I'm not seeing any spam, or obvious broken windows. If it stays that way - if there are a few of you willing to keep the lights on and the lawn mowed - then fine. We'll have a tiny little site for LEGOs tucked away.
If I come back in a month and the windows are smashed in and weeds are growing everywhere, then it gets closed, just like that.
Like I said, it's an experiment. It might go "boom".

132: <p><a href="http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2012/04/when-a-site-grows-quiet/">http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2012/04/when-a-site-grows-quiet/</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Next week, we’re shutting down six sites that fall into this category:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Astronomy</li>
  <li>Economics</li>
  <li>Literature</li>
  <li>Firearms</li>
  <li>Healthcare IT</li>
  <li>Theoretical Physics</li>
  </ul>
</blockquote>

<p>LEGO.SE which is very similar to Firearms in terms of age and statistics has been spared. I'm concerned that LEGO.SE may be at threat from any future site cull and is there anything we can and should be doing about it?</p>
 99: <p>While it's good to see Shog9's answer and that we were spared, I'd like to point out something I noticed, which I believe will be beneficial to the site in the long run.</p>

<p>Indeed, there are some users which are known AFOLs, such as <a href="https://bricks.stackexchange.com/users/550/philo">Philippe Hurbain</a> who still connects regularly (I wish he would answer the difficult NXT questions though) or <a href="https://bricks.stackexchange.com/users/432/larry-pieniazek">Larry Pieniazek</a>.</p>

<p>Now, maybe calling this a trend is overrated (although there are new users created regularly, even if not AFOLs - let's not forget that), but these are the kind of expert answerers we want. But I don't think our problem is on the answering side - as said, we've got a very high answered ratio.</p>

<p>So if the problem lies in the lack of questions, what can we do? One thing I wonder is if we aren't sometimes too harsh on some newcomers - sure, <a href="https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/1304/how-can-i-make-a-pigglet-headed-lego-figure-to-be-a-sidekick-for-my-gadget-hero">some questions</a> maybe borderline, but we risk scaring off new users; if they feel their questions aren't welcome, they won't feel welcome either.</p>
 63: <blockquote>
<p>I'm concerned that LEGO.SE may be at threat from any future site cull</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Well, yes it is! In fact, as of last Friday morning, it was on my list to close. The activity has fallen off precipitously, to the point where the stats are worse than many of the sites that <em>are</em> being closed.</p>
<p>It's <em>not</em> closed right now because I wanted to try something, as sort of a precursor experiment to some changes we're planning for the site creation process. LEGO made a good candidate for this because it's a fairly accessible yet extremely niche topic, there's not much in the way of controversy here, and the community has shown themselves in the past to be fairly active in dealing with perceived issues - as evidenced by you posting this thread soon after the blog post went up (and long before I was ready with my planned post!)</p>
<h3>So what's gonna happen?</h3>
<p>Well, it'd be <strong>awesome</strong> if you somehow managed to bring in a bunch of new users and get this place <em>hoppin'...</em> But frankly, I don't really expect that given the trends. My current impression of the site is that we've simply tapped out the interest among the current SE audience.</p>
<p>So the experiment is simply: can you maintain what's already here? The <a href="http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/10919/lego">one good stat</a> on the Area 51 page right now is the 99% answered questions. I'm not seeing any spam, or obvious broken windows. If it stays that way - if there are a few of you willing to keep the lights on and the lawn mowed - then fine. We'll have a tiny little site for LEGOs tucked away.</p>

<p>If I come back in a month and the windows are smashed in and weeds are growing everywhere, then it gets closed, just like that.</p>
<p>Like I said, it's an experiment. It <em>might</em> go &quot;boom&quot;.</p>
