08-28-2023, 06:28 AM
(This post was last modified: 08-28-2023, 06:31 AM by danbrotherston.)
I think a fundamental problem is still cars...leaving aside the fact that we have huge parking lots that could be parks, I was never really comfortable in spaces like the small parklets on major roads. I couldn't let my little one just play, I had to watch her like a hawk. Larger parks like city centre and victoria were fine, I could stand between her and the road and it was pretty safe feeling. But until our roads are car free, no amount of parklets will help downtown.
That being said, I never really felt that downtown was lacking for parks, there are quite a few but I feel the ones that are there are highly underutilized.
FWIW...the Netherlands definitely does have more playgrounds, there are probably 5 small ones a 5 minute walk from my house, and 4 large ones within 10-15 minutes. But again, they don't really need much space, because you can literally put them in the middle of a cul-de-sac and it's fine.
As for large parks, there are really only two big parks in the city. But downtown, in the centre, there are basically zero parks. The closest thing to a park is the grassy field next to the city hall but it isn't called a park. But you don't really notice it, because streets are so green and treed already, and because they are almost entirely free of cars, the entire city centre basically functions a lot like a park. All the things you'd enjoy a park for (again not a playground) is something you'd just do in the streets.
If King St. was completely pedestrianised, would that solve a lot of the demand for park space (not necessarily playground space).
I'm starting to feel like parks are car infrastructure too.
That being said, I never really felt that downtown was lacking for parks, there are quite a few but I feel the ones that are there are highly underutilized.
FWIW...the Netherlands definitely does have more playgrounds, there are probably 5 small ones a 5 minute walk from my house, and 4 large ones within 10-15 minutes. But again, they don't really need much space, because you can literally put them in the middle of a cul-de-sac and it's fine.
As for large parks, there are really only two big parks in the city. But downtown, in the centre, there are basically zero parks. The closest thing to a park is the grassy field next to the city hall but it isn't called a park. But you don't really notice it, because streets are so green and treed already, and because they are almost entirely free of cars, the entire city centre basically functions a lot like a park. All the things you'd enjoy a park for (again not a playground) is something you'd just do in the streets.
If King St. was completely pedestrianised, would that solve a lot of the demand for park space (not necessarily playground space).
I'm starting to feel like parks are car infrastructure too.