Private Parks

[Pure]

Do you have any private parks in your city or area? They are not uncommon in the US and UK. By 'private park', i mean a garden or grassy area that's enclosed and not usually open to the public. There may be a gate, to which members have a key. The 'members', might be those of a neighborhood association or othe private group.

These are similar in conception to 'hunting parks' maintained by the nobility in medieval times.

There is a scene in Notting Hill, the movie, where the couple sneak into a private park in London.

Here's a link to one in London, and a couple in the US. We have them in Ontario, Canada, as well. (sometimes links are hard to find).
--

Comments about such parks? Just too snobbish?


Syon Park, London
http://www.syonpark.co.uk/

Louisburg Square and Park, Boston,
http://gaytravel.about.com/od/gaytravelphotogalleries/ig/Photos-of-Gay-Boston/Louisburg-Square.htm

Union Park, Boston
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/62/Union_Park4.jpg

Washington Park, Troy NY
http://wpa-troy.org/

 

[stephen55]

Private property is private property. Public parks are public.

I don't see an issue here.

 

[oggbashan]

Yes, but there are so many public parks that the few private parks are barely noticed. Most of our local "private" parks are actually communal gardens for a block of apartments/houses.

The most recently created private park was the grassed area around an eight-storey block of flats. Once it was fenced off, the residents' association made flower beds, planted shrubs, installed benches and a brick-built barbecue and made it far more attractive. It is only 'private' in the sense that you have to open a gate to enter but there are no locks.

What has been created is 'defensible space' that the residents of the block consider is 'theirs' and will keep tidy, and challenge any intruders particularly anti-social ones. The difference in perceived ownership is that there is no litter, planted areas are no longer trampled by people taking short cuts from one street to another, and people who don't live in the flats won't enter the new 'garden'.

When I was young, my parents lived in a largish Victorian house that was part of three sides of a square block. The fourth side was a commercial market garden but was screened by mature pine trees. Behind the thirty or so houses was a private park which could only be accessed through the houses or by a discreet locked driveway. It had bowling greens, tennis courts, a half-size football pitch and formal gardens. All the householders paid an annual maintenance fee to the Residents Association who employed garden contractors to do the work they couldn't do themselves.

Then - in the 1950s - the number of people (adults and children) who had access was about 100. I really enjoyed having my 'own' park although there were two large public parks within easy walking distance.

Now? Most of the houses have been split into flats and four houses have been demolished and replaced by an apartment block. Those who have access are about 500. That speads the increased cost to maintain the park but the strain is showing. The Residents Association might have to sell part of their park to produce a capital sum to pay for maintenance because garden contractors cost more even allowing for inflation, and volunteer effort isn't enough.

 

[JackLuis]

There is one just behind my house. The Mormon church has a group of oaks behind it and a creek passes through it. In the oaks is a large pavilion and an amphitheater and behind that a ball field. It is all told several acres and mostly mature oaks 40 to 80 feet tall.

In the summer they rent it out to the local Polynesian Society, and they throw a three day luau with music and dancing and games. The Mormons have several camp outs for youth gatherings during the summer and of course there are ball games, mostly practice, because there is an 80 foot oak in the middle of Center field.

There is only a six foot chainlink fence between my place and the ball field, so from my patio it looks like my yard stretches all the way to the oaks about a hundred yards away, all green and nice now.

During the week mostly turkeys use the ball field. I've seen as many as fifteen at one time. This morning the coyote was back, she makes a pass through about once a week. Most of the time it's just me on my patio and the squirrels enjoying it.

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

I don't have a problem with them, or at least, I don't have any more of a problem with them than I do with any other piece of private property that doesn't negatively impact the surrounding properties.

Problems can arise when cities, towns, counties, etc. consider these private parks (and recreational facilities, which you don't mention) in their overall calculation of available parks and recreation space.

All I ask is that governments recognize that they aren't perfect substitutes.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

In my neighborhood we call them backyards.

 

[sr71plt]

I don't understand the issue. Are you proposing an erotica plot bunny?

If it's privately owned land, why couldn't it be restricted to those who own it or are invited by them?

I agree that it's no different than a backyard of a private home.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Stirrin' the puddin' again, huh Pure.

 

[TE999]

We have some gated neighborhoods around here and they all have recreation facilities, pools and pocket parks. The big and small parks are owned by the city or the county and are open to all.

If people choose to maintain a park and make it private, that's their business.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

...

If people choose to maintain a park and make it private, that's their business.

Yep...if they buy the land, maintain the land and pay the property taxes on the land, it's theirs they can do with it as they like.

But...if public funds(taxes) are used to maintain the park, then it is a public park and open for use by all.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Yep...if they buy the land, maintain the land and pay the property taxes on the land, it's theirs they can do with it as they like.

But...if public funds(taxes) are used to maintain the park, then it is a public park and open for use by all.

Well, duh! That's why private is private and public is public. We're not talking sports arena or professional football, yanno.

 

[stephen55]

I know a bear who has a park of his own.

http://www.jasperjournal.com/jaspergallery/d/287-2/DSC03417_jasper_the_bear.jpg

His name is Jasper.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Yeah, Ol' Jasp writes me occasionally about the size of his yard. I go, "Yeah, yeah,yeah, but you have to sleep all winter while I'm still sluicing down the Zin and noshing the venison wurst." He doesn't appreciate my humor . . .

 

[stephen55]

He doesn't appreciate my humor . . .

Well, he is a country bear.

As opposed to those Chicago Bears...

http://holydogwater.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/bears-attacking-peyton-manning.jpg

 

[twelveoone]

These are similar in conception to 'hunting parks' maintained by the nobility in medieval times.


Comments about such parks?

Perhaps, if you where a noble, you would see the rabble kills things for food, thereby increasing the rabble. Tax the blighters into non-existence, I say, thereby relieving the burden of being noble for the nobles.

I wonder if we can do a trace back to the original owners, and I wonder what they would have to say?

a.) God gave it to me
b.) The king deeded it to me (the God given divine right of Kings)
c.) We took it, and parceled it out because of Manifest destiny (God gave us the right to do it)
d-zz) well later, but I'm sure God was involved.

And after all God created this whole mess, so live with it.Because after all God gives us abatements, too.

Or to paraphrase Calvin (a Godly man) you either gots or you're damned.

 

[estragon]

The famous gated New York City private park is Gramercy Park.