Community Equality is Important!
How can we design a community park that is equitable and accessible to all people?
Thomas Jay Regional Park
Thomas Jay Regional Park
Before I came to any of these parks for curricular reasons I thought nothing of it. One day I went to the parks with my school and realized that the quality of each park was drastically different, the price spent on the equipment was unfair. The treatment of Thomas Jay Park was poor, there was graffiti on polls and the kids' equipment, and even the bathrooms had some permanently scratched objects with knives or sharp tools/objects. There were also glass shards scattered into the sandbox and around the park, and also lots of cigarettes. That was only the tip of the iceberg! Sadly tons of the equipment looked aged and very unstable.
Brandi Fenton Memorial Park
Brandi Fenton Memorial Park
After visiting the Thomas Jay Regional Park we went to Brandi Fenton Memorial Park. And everything was about the same trash and cigarettes everywhere I think I saw a needle. . . But I also noticed that in a ditch I saw homelessness. It was very peaceful, and I believe that Thomas Jay Regional Park is louder due to the trendy road next door to the park. Brandi Fenton Memorial Park was also very popular compared to Thomas Jay Regional Park, the only thing I saw at Thomas Jay Regional Park were these high schoolers hanging around the kids' equipment which may be a cause that it's not very widespread.
Navigation to Parks
Thomas Jay Regional Park
The first park that we went to when we went on the trip. The park that had the least care for in my opinion. but one of the most popular because its next to a pretty big neighborhood.
Brandi Fenton Memorial Park
This is the second park we went very fun. It was very quiet or was until the bus drop us off. A lot of bikers it was nice to see a park that was pretty popular. But when we were walking around we saw yellow tape all over a water fountain, its good that someone got on it.
Gene C. Reid Park
This park is very peaceful mostly quiet depending on where you are at the park, whether it be the pond or the playgrounds. was a decent amount of litter or filth.
Data Table
What I found around the parks | Thomas Jay Regional Park | Brandi Fenton Memorial Park (not including the ditch) | Gene C. Raid Park |
|---|---|---|---|
cigarettes | 12 | 7 | 1 |
broken glass (any form) | 3 | 0 | 1 |
singular pieces of trash | 30-40 | 20-30 | 35-45 |
animal defecation | 3 | 2 | 5 |
People | 0 | 10-15 | 10-50 |
Data Collection at local parks
Conclusion
Gene C. Reid Park
I know that parks can be improved and have great care. I know this because when some students went to the Sarsef award ceremony we went to Gene C. Reid Park. this park was beautiful I Noticed that these bathrooms were very similar to the others but with almost no graffiti and if there was it was clearly taken care of and practically polished to perfection. very quiet besides from the mild chatter and birds tweeting. life was very colourful over there, the grass was very green something you don't see often in Tuscon. There were tons of trees and a pond with ducks.
People in our community need to take better care of their local parks. If we continue at this rate of mistreating parks then these parks won't even be considered parks, parks will be too dangerous for a person even to be 10 feet from a park.
Also, the government needs to put more funding into parks so that we can achieve community equality! It is important for all neighborhoods to have equal access to green spaces and places where you can get breathe of fresh air!
