A public space refers to an area or place that is open and accessible to all people regardless of anything. Public spaces are an important asset to our cities, neighborhoods and communities. They provide people many opportunities to come together and engage with the community and the people around them. Different groups of people come together and create a social space for everyone in the society to be a part of.
In the films My Brooklyn, Citizen Jane, and Human Scale and the lecture presentation Healing Spaces: Marching On! Blackness and the Spatial Politics of Performance, they all discuss public space and its importance to the community as a whole. These films allowed me to realize the importance of public space and how it can impact individuals. Jane Jacobs mentioned that “people make cities” and I agree with her on this because diversity makes a city unique.
Parks and areas by the water appeal to me. Being by the water is very relaxing and calming. The East River Park in Lower Manhattan is an example of park space by the water. On a sunny day, there are hundreds of people around the area either relaxing, exercising or simply enjoying the beautiful view.
I personally feel that the public space in NYC is wonderful. For a crowded city, there is a lot to explore and enjoy. Public spaces present health benefits both mentally and physically. People tend to feel better when they are surrounded by nice spaces.
Great response Connie! I totally agree with your observation about the public spaces and their importance to physical and mental health. Also, I found interesting the quotation from Citizen Jane film that emphasizes the role of diversity and being unique in a big city like New York. In my opinion, being able to bring order out of chaos is a definition of a successful city planning.
New York has great public spaces as you mentioned, but there is still room for future improvement.