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Strengthening
Community Image and Sense of Place
The
role of recreation is extremely important as we face the new
challenges within our ever-changing world. Since the tragedy
of September 11, it has become apparent that citizens are finding
more comfort in their own communities and in their own neighborhoods.
This is where, we as recreators, have a key role in shaping the
way we strengthen community image in our own towns. As programmers
and administrators, it is our goal to make sure that our community
has programs
and activities that encourage development.
There
are many ways to strengthen a sense of community, through activity
programming, facility design, urban planning, trail designs,
park designs, uniform logos and marketing strategies. The area
that I have chosen to explore is park design and programming.
I recently spoke with two different professionals, David Gates,
of Gates and Associates, who designed San Ramon’s Central
Park and Pete Selak, Sales Associate for Dave Bang & Associates,
who has designed playground facilities for cities such as the
City of Walnut, the City of La Quinta, the City of El Monte,
and the City of Dessert Hot Springs. Since these two professionals
have been responsible for creating numerous designs that offer
an exciting new approach in the way that facilities, playgrounds
and parks function within our communities, I felt it would be
fascinating to probe their minds for this project. I spent time
with each professional asking them to share with me how they
felt that community was strengthened or enhanced through the
use of design and products.
In
speaking with David Gates, he shared that it’s very important
to obtain a developer with a sense of vision. If you have someone
who is merely trying to complete a task and does not look at
the entire character of your city, then you may want to reevaluate
your selection and find a developer who will understand the needs
of your community. Gates was the key player in creating the City
of San Ramon’s Central Park. Gate’s look at the City
of San Ramon was very unique. He approached San Ramon by looking
at the whole community as “one body”. I found this
concept to be extremely fascinating and yet simple at the same
time. Gates explained that this thinking really takes us back
to the New England Days where communities were created based
on a growing society’s need for a sense of place. Many
communities in New England created “greens” when
settlers moved in and found that there was a need for a central
meeting area or town square. This town square or “Green” as
they called it was where the settlers would come together to
congregate, sell their goods, worship and socialize. David used
this simple concept and combined it with an idea of a “community
body” when he was helping to create the vision for the
San Ramon Central Park.
Just
as the human body has heart, lungs, soul, legs, arms, hands and
brain, a city can also be ascribed with similar features. The
community center works as the heart of the community. Everything
vital to the community is central to the community center and
life flows to and from this prime location. The heart of the
community must be pumped with fresh blood or information that
allows the heart to maintain and function at a healthy level,
as well as to invigorate the surrounding body parts. The soul
of the community helps to keep the body alive. The soul is your
supportive City Council and Community Commissions or Advisory
Council who volunteer their time to give input on the development
of such exciting projects. Without having a living and breathing
soul, the ideas for the plan would never be completed. The soul
makes sure that everything associated with the planning and development
of a project is accounted for and that the community is thought
of in every step of the process. San Ramon has done a wonderful
job incorporating the heart and soul of their community. I would
like to take you through the San Ramon Central Park so that you
can get a better understanding of how this “community body” was
created.
The
meadows of San Ramon can be referred to as the “lungs,” and
these lungs are where children and adults can breathe freely.
The meadows consist of the outside park areas, including sports
areas such as soccer fields, lighted basketball courts and lighted
baseball fields complete with a sunken diamond. Picnic and activity
areas act as an extension of the park that leads from the community
center. As people join together in outdoor-based recreation,
the lungs become an essential aid in keeping the “body” alive.
This community area is so successful in strengthening community
image because it joins all areas socially. It is where people
have weddings, piano concerts, special events and where people
come to congregate.
In
the City of San Ramon, Gates designed the Central Park to have
as much of the action-taking place outside the facility as possible.
When an event is taking place, the entire community can see it
coming alive. The action developing in the central area attracts
citizens to come over from the outer areas to see what is happening.
If the seniors are having a bake sale, it may be at the same
time the Farmer’s Market is scheduled and the same time
a concert is performing. The whole city can enjoy the buzz and
excitement because there is an outreach to people, which develops
into an aura of feeling welcomed.
One
of the important extensions of this park, which Gates considers
to be the “arms” of the project, is the San Ramon
Skateboard Park. The “arms” allow for flexibility
for reaching outer limits and for grasping onto new adventures
and excitement. This is a perfect transition to the Skateboard
Park because it allows teens to express themselves and take fun
risks in a safe environment. As you know, it is very important
for teens to feel involved and to feel embraced by a community.
Areas such as skateboard parks that are geared specifically for
teens welcome them to be active participants in their community.
It is also important to note that an arm cannot grasp onto a
challenge without the use of a hand. This skateboard area directly
leads to the “hands” of the playground area associated
with this “Community Body”. The play area is a great
example of a hand because the kids can use their own hands to
manipulate this environment. Pete Selak states that “the
playground has to flow within the total design of the park while
adding its own unique flavor”. Indeed, San Ramon did this
when designing their playground area. The most exciting aspect
of this play area is that is has streaming water.
Many
cities stay away from water within a play area because of the
enormous work involved with maintaining such a facility. However,
if you can deal with the maintenance issues, then take a risk
and add water to your play areas. Water provides a calming beauty
and serenity to any park area. It attracts people to come relax
and spend time by it. In this particular playground area, the
water, sand and all the equipment move. This allows children
to use their own “hands” to create unique recreation
moments. In this type of play environment, no two children will
ever create the same fort or the same sandcastle. It is the ability
to be creative and use your hands to mold and shape their world
that gives a child a sense of place and self worth. It is memories
of childhood recreation that adults hold on to and use to learn
the importance of parks, recreation and leisure activities. This
play area is also effective in its simple beauty and enjoyment
because it attracts all different age groups. Pete Selak of Dave
Bang and Associates says that it is important “to weave
sound, dramatic play, balance, retreat spots and challenge opportunities” throughout
the design of a park.
At
another end of the park you will find the Fire Station, where
on any given afternoon the children from the Elementary School
located on the opposite end of the park can come over and watch
the firemen clean their trucks or maintain equipment at the station.
In addition to all these fantastic limbs that help to create
the “body” of San Ramon is an outdoor plaza. The
plaza is next to a quiet pond that segways back into the “hands” region
of the play area again. Gates along with the City of San Ramon
designed this Central Park specifically to have several outlets
that led people directly back into the “heart” of
the community. In addition, to all these wonderful park areas
there is a running track and Iron Horse trail that runs through
the park and brings a sense of cohesiveness with all the surrounding
parts. Although, the library is across the street and not joined
by a “limb” to our body metaphor it is indeed a part
of the community. Gates noticed this separation and quickly designed
a connection of trees that align the grounds and that leads to
the library. It is this advanced thinking of inclusiveness that
has allowed for this community to maintain its “home town” feel.
The
City of San Ramon’s Central Park is a definite example
of seeing the community as “one body” and not scattered
parts. In many areas, community areas are designed in ways that
have either too many legs or too many arms or has a body part
missing. Gates states “Without all the essential parts
of a body, you will find that you do not function at your optimum
level; we have gotten so large & blown apart that we are
not one body anymore”.
Now
there is one part of the body that hasn’t been discussed
and that would be the “brain”. The “brain” is
the programming and all the behind the scenes coordinating that
takes place in each community. The brain is vital because it
is the collaboration of staff that orchestrates how all the different
body parts can work together. Being a programmer for the past
10 years, I have been able to witness first hand the benefits
of recreation. I grew up in Southern California and spent many
summers in day camps, aquatic programs and after school activities
at the beautiful parks in the City of Alhambra. It’s those
positive early memories that make it easy to program for today’s
community. It is a privilege to be able to plan activities for
a community because we are an important facet of keeping a community
alive. As a programmer, we know that we must be flexible, able
to handle change and at a moment’s noteice. We must be
able to assess our community and be able to pull diverse people
together for one cause - leisure. Everyone enjoys a relaxing
event or environment. It’s a pleasure to have a career
in which we can directly effect and benefit the lives of people.
When programming, each person must look at their own community
and figure out what program will appeal and provide a wonderful
opportunity or experience for the community.
In
order to build a “sense of community” within your
community your agency must organize a special visual structure.
This was done in San Ramon and is continuing to be done at cities
across our state. For example, the City of Walnut created a citywide
masterplan, which includes a state of the art senior center,
teen center, library and City Hall. Once completed, all of these
buildings will visually have the same design and give the community
a sense of place, warmth and commonality. The masterplan was
designed to give the community a sense of place and to create
a community that was easily accessible and welcoming to all citizens.
The City of Walnut is also looking through the “community
body” lenses that Gates has challenged us to look through.
I encourage you, your city council, commissions and programmers
to take a look at your community and imagine it as a body and
do whatever it takes to strengthen your community. Try to make
it your goal to design your programs and parks with an ease and
flow that invites your community to belong, that creates awareness
and increases its sense of place.
By
Pamela Yugar
Senior Services Recreation Supervisor
City of Walnut
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