More About Suburbs

When I was growing up Parks were a place to escape to for fun and adventure.  They had baseball diamonds, basketball courts, and playgrounds.  They were always a bustle of activity.

I assumed things were pretty much the same today.  And I generated that assumption based on the Parks in Minneapolis near where I live.

Today I saw a park that creeped me out.  I was in the suburb of Maple Grove visiting gf's mother and family.  Gf's mother doesn't live there, but there was a family baptism there so we all met for Mother's Day.  I walked with Small and Medium to the park with several other kids.

The first thing I saw were the rules.  At the entrance to the park there were rules posted - a long list of do's and don'ts which included curfews and penalties. 

My experience with parks doesn't include an entrance.  All of the parks I went to were open green spaces that you could approach from any direction.  Not this place.  It was nestled in the space between a bunch of cul de sacs.  It was surrounded with fences on all sides and only allowed entrance through small walkways, or from a parking lot with a cordoned fenceway. 

The paths were paved and led down to the baseball diamonds of which there were four.  Each diamond was completely fenced in and there were signs along the fences specifying who could play baseball, when, and for how long.  (Registration was required).  No one could hit a ball or play catch on the pathways or on any paved surface - the signs said so.  Farther down were a couple of hockey rinks, one for general skating (NO HOCKEY) and one for hockey (NO GENERAL SKATING).  There was a central building that was completely closed and locked, including bathrooms.  The windows were covered with a steel mesh as strong as industrial walkways and the signs on the building regulated where one could eat and drink. 

Farther on was a small playground equipped with a modern child habitrail of activities.  At the entrance to the playground was a solid sign with rules posted.  Only children aged 5 to 12 were allowed to play.  Adult supervision was required.  The sand was only 4 inches deep and underneath was a concrete slab. There were tennis courts and basketball courts as well, all enclosed by chain link with signs prominently posted.

No one was playing in this park.  It was pretty big yet completely empty.  The neighborhood was filled with kids.  I saw them running about and riding bikes, but none were in the park. 

When I got home I took my dog for a walk in our nearest park.  At least forty men were around the basketball courts, playing and laughing, music blaring.  Their families were arrayed about and dozens of kids swarmed the playground.  Not a rule posted in sight.  There were people bicycling and rollerblading.  We saw a couple dozen other dogs being walked.  There were even people playing horseshoes and others playing suffleboard.  The tennis courts were full.  Again, not a rule in sight.  There is no entrance to our park.  People pour in from every which way. 

Our local park isn't as big as the one in Maple Grove, nor is the grass as well manicured, nor are the pathways free from cracks and defects.

The precinct in which our park is located has the distinction of having voted Bush in third place both in 2000 and in 2004.  He barely got 8%. The suburb of Maple Grove is staunchly red, a place Bush won by a landslide both elections.

An odd juxtaposition, perhaps.

- rick, preferring life to rules.

Comments

[Cherise]

In our little parks I have never run into a set of rules like you did, praise Goddess.:) They usually have what I like to refer to as the common sense sign, if people had a lick of it, they wouldn't have to post one.;) The rule I always bump into, and it seems to warrant it's own sign, everywhere, is No Skateboarding. What's the BFD?

[mark]

I think your link to parks and their associated rules to voting preference is a stretch. I didn't think you are one for tinfoil hats. I'd say it has to do more with expectaions and lawsuits than anything. In my "EVIL" burb of Eagan, there is a park 2 short blocks from my house, if there are rules posted, I don't know, I just go to walk around the lake/pond and enjoy the air. The playground(s) generally have kids and the paths have bikers/walkers (to hilly to blade). And I don't think how people voted in my burb has anything to do with how the parks are run/fill with people. Sorry Rick, that is a stretch.

[Success Warrior]

Our park usually has kids in it, the basketball court is always in use, and the tennis courts get more use than I would have thought. Most of the people here don't vote. I'm not sure where that fits in the equation.

[a rose is a rose]

thank you for reminding me rick. long ago i promised someone i'd write about how, when and why i was kicked out of http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/nick.htm

nickerson state park

i grew up next to a lovely little park. it's actually world famous for it's rose gardens

http://www.elizabethpark.org/

no rules posted when i was a kid but i think there may be tons of 'em now. there was ice skating in the winter, bocci for the old italian dudes in the summer, flowers flowers and flowers. concerts too. i even know a secret entrance to the park AND a place where some wild sweet spring onions grow (well they DID grow there). even though i still live near the park, i've not been back in years.

[Sister Mary Lisa]

Those rules reminded me of growing up in my house, and what a joyless existence such posted rules can create.

[CV Rick]

It's not a stretch at all, Mark. Republicans love rules and litigation is a major hobby for them. But more than that, it's about structure - they can't live life without guides, direction, limits and rules. It's not Democrats at the baseball diamonds screaming at their kids, the coaches, and the refs as if they're the expert and their snot-nosed brat is just destined to be the next [insert your favorite WHITE ball player here].

[Graeme]

I drove to Minneapolis this last weekend to visit my old roomate. I wasn't paying attention and I got unto 494 heading South (coming from I94 east) and I think it was Maple Grove that I went to. Not really worth commenting about perhaps, but I thought it was an odd coincidence.

I didn't get lost in Minneapolis. I was proud of myself.

[mark]

but Rick, Eagan is the home of Pawlenty? Wouldn't you think that in his home city there would be the dearth of kids at rules laden playgrounds? I still think it is a strech. I lay more blame on ANY lawyer, who has made it darn near impossible for anyone to have any fun.

[CV Rick]

I think you're not looking at the composition of the parks in Eagan very well. Maybe I'll tour them with you sometime soon.