4/28/17 Sit Spot Reflections

There is a weird atmosphere today. It’s sunny and cloudy at the same time. So, there are just random bursts of really bright moments that may last, or they may only be there for a second. All the rest of the time is spent in a haze like state because of the odd cloud coverage.

It’s full of life today. There are so many birds flying around and chirping. Their songs are relaxing because it is a constant mix of different sounds. None of the birds sound alike so it’s a surprise as to what the next sound will be.

The Korean Dogwoods have finally bloomed! This is the first time I’ve been able to see them as anything more than stick like. There are baby green leaves on it that I’m assuming will eventually get bigger and cover the entire tree.

The crab apple trees no longer have their pink blooms on them. They are just covered by green leaves. It’s strange how short the blooming time is for plants and trees.

A lot has changed since the first time I visited this spot. When I first got here, everything was barren and had no life. Now, everything is blooming and full of life. The only aspect that never really changed is the magnolia tree. It has remained pretty constant throughout.

Everything is alive, but the pollen is no longer heavy in the air. You can no longer see the specific particles falling from the trees or see the yellow haze. This is much more pleasant.

There is still one tree that has yet to show any sign of life. From my perspective, it is to the right of the magnolia tree. There are two of them. The one closest to me has leaves all over it, but the one closest to the fountain has no signs of life. They appear as if they may be the same type of tree, but I really don’t know.

The field is still barren. No one is using it at this time of the morning. However, the sun shining down on it no longer makes it seem as if it is a wasteland. It’s strange how simple lighting can make a scene look so much less depressing.

The ground today is very wet from the rain yesterday. It makes the ant hill at the bottom of the bench look pitiful and abandoned. The ants that are normally swarming around searching for food are not out today.

The squirrels are playing in the Live Oak today. I have yet to see one on the ground, but I can hear the rustling the leaves above me.

There are fewer people here today. It’s limited to runners and the smaller mom exercise group. I wonder if it’s because of the fact that we came out on a different day or it it’s because of the rain yesterday.

It’s strange. I’ve never been that fond of nature, but now that I’m sitting here it’s very peaceful. It’s just a relaxing get away from the normally hectic world that we live in. Just the simple fact that the dominant sounds are those of the squirrels, birds, and fountain makes the experience nicer. It feels like a little get away when I turn my back to the road.

It’s mostly still out today. There is a weak breeze that blows through every once in a while. Despite the fact that it is really weak, it still manages to knock leaves down off the magnolia tree. The leaves that are falling are all yellow though. The litter the ground and add another color to the landscape.

It feels like it’s raining, but it isn’t. The breeze had shifted the leaves of the Live Oak. With this, the water droplets that were still on the leaves came tumbling down near me and on the sidewalk. It was a very strange sense of hearing rain, but knowing that I’m completely dry and that it couldn’t possibly be raining. It took a while to figure out what the strange noise was.

There is a weird groaning noise disturbing the peace. I believe it may be the hinges on the doors of the building near the tennis courts? I noticed it for the first time when someone opened that door, but I could be wrong.

Mid City Reading

The Mid City Mixed Use plan borrows multiple ideas from the idea of new urbanism. The goal of the plan is to create an environment that is conducive to multiple types of people and sources of transportation. By creating an area that is capable of having pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation, and cars use it, the city is attempting to do this. They are trying to make Macon more accessible to all types of people. Their goal is to liven the downtown area by ensuring that many people, from many circumstances can reach these places. Also, they are planning to use buildings with mixed uses. It is noted that the proposed uses include “at least one hotel with about 120 rooms, apartments with 120-140 units, retail shops, a restaurant and a multi-level parking garage with about 575 spaces”. This would create an area in which people can live closely to everything they need to survive. So close in fact that the people could simply walk where they need to instead of being dependent on cars. This would increase the pedestrian traffic, which in turn livens a neighborhood up. It increases the business in the area and decreases the amount of crime because it increases ‘the eyes on the street’. Also, the act of creating a green space in “an ocean of asphalt” is part of the new urbanism movement. By creating an area that is both aesthetically pleasing and provides a place for the community to gather, the area may become better. However, park areas are volatile. So, if the project does not work out in a successful manner, the creation of the square may actually be detrimental to downtown.

The fact that the creation of the square is such a debatable topic may be a red flag. When the city begins to attempt to force private land owners to sell, it may not be worth it. While three of the corners are provide, the fourth is take up by a business that was founded in the 1930s. It clearly means a lot to the family who owns it and evokes some strong emotions which is shown in the statement made by Roger Wilson, “I just told ‘em hell no, I ain’t going to let you have my property. I worked too hard to get it”. So, does the city have the right to force someone to give up land that has literally been in the family for generations? In this case, it’s really a grey area. While Mayor Reichert argues that it may be essential, the Wilson’s don’t agree. Mike Wilson states “They’re not putting a highway in or building an airport” showing the fact that what they are placing is not something that is a massive undertaking or essential to the survival of downtown. So, is using eminent domain acceptable when the only thing being placed is a park? In my opinion, it isn’t. There should be more negotiations to reach a conclusion that is acceptable for everyone. However, fact that Mayor Reichert is so callous about the topic, as shown in his statement “So this is not just some penny ante…why not here, move down a block, you know?”, may not allow for these negations to occur.

Village Green Reading

According to Coney, a community cannot wait for the assistance of the city “Because if we wait for the city, it will be a while for it to come back”. The city assists for a short time, it may throw money at the issue and then never return to it. For real changes to be made in a community, the community itself must become involved. It should prepare its own source of volunteers and should be active around the location. For the Village Green area, the primary source of assistance stems from the community itself and the connections it has formed. It is noted that the Austin Center is aware of this necessity and “the effort has looked to partnerships for assistance”. They have formed relationships with other organizations across Macon. This not only brought in the needed assistance, it actively got the community involved. This is what is needed for a community to revitalize. While money from the city may help, the simple act of having people come together and work towards a common goal is the main ingredient that is necessary.

In the Village Green area, the common goals that have been identified as needing improvement are “education, crime, health, economic development and housing.”. With an entire community dedicated to working on these issues, Frank Austin’s vision is achievable. He and the members of the community desire an environment where people can live their lives comfortably and happily. To do this, the crime in the area must be reduced and the simple appearance and functionality of the housing must be improved. This will give people a sense of pride in where they live and allow them to be more comfortable in their own neighborhood. It is noted that “Where others saw dead ends, [Austin] saw challenges” and that “neighborhoods, like people, must be helped from the outside and changed from the inside”. For these changes to occur, the community must be involved. As a result of Austin’s efforts, the community has become more involved and dedicated to changing their neighborhood for the better. This is why Austin’s dream is achievable. With the community gathered behind this idea, all obstacles can be overcome and constant improvements can be made.

Mill Hill Reading

Creative place making goes beyond new urbanism because it actively involves the community and creates a place that is an active part of the community. In the case of parks, new urbanism is creating a place for the community to gather. With place making, it is creating a place that revolves around the culture of the community and is a place for people to gather, learn new skills, and simply a place that is an integral part of the community that gives back. For this to occur, people have to work together. It cannot be one group that wishes to do it, it must be supported by the community it will be a part of. In the Mill Hill example, this is shown through the coalition created by “Macon Arts Alliance, Macon-Bibb County UDA, and other partners” (18), that support and fund the Mill Hill project. It is noted that Mill Hill “is starting with a goal of achieving equity and inclusiveness, a strategy likely to cultivate community pride and uplift not only in the local community, but also in Macon at large” (27). However, this does not eliminate the possibility of gentrification. Any form of gentrification as a result of this project will destroy the purpose of the initiative. The purpose is to revitalize the community and focus on the culture of the community. When this culture begins to disappear, the project will have lost its purpose and will no longer serve the community it was designed to.

In the controversy surrounding the firing of the two artists in the Mill Hill project, the entire issue is pretty obscure. While the artists expressed their opinions for the reason of their dismissal, the organization did not. Therefore, it is difficult to draw conclusions from this because only one side of the story was heard. Also, the artists made some serious allegations in regards to the actions of the Macon Arts Alliance. They insinuated that the “MAA is complicit in a gentrification scheme aimed at displacing low-income African Americans from the neighborhood, and that the residency’s real purpose is to mask this ulterior motive” (4). However, they did not really provide any concrete evidence to this point and the simple fact that they were only in Macon for approximately ten days makes their conclusions questionable. They simply were not around long enough to see what the project was about. On the other hand, the fact that they were fired so quickly is also a negative sign. Without being able to have the artists truly begin any work, the MAA forced them out. This does not reflect well on the organization. Also, because the MAA did not provide any real reasons as to why they fired the artists is another red flag. So, while the statements of the artists are questionable, the actions of the MAA are as well and no real conclusions can be draw of which party was in the right. The one clear section of this issue is that is shows exactly how difficult it is to have people work together. This makes any movement to improve a community incredibly difficult to start and maintain. The main lesson that can be derived from this situation is that it is important to be open and honest with those that you are working with. Also, it is essential to give people enough time to work and create a vision.

4/10 Sit Spot

It’s bright and sunny today! This is literally the happiest it’s been since we started coming out. It’s normally dark and gloomy which makes my normal sit spot look pretty desolate.

Today we’re pulling weeds so I’m not in the normal sitting spot. This place is nice because it’s surrounded by life. It has the rest of the class as well at the mom yoga group that plays music while their kids play. The little ones are precious and seem to be having a great time. It’s a drastic change from my other sit spot that faces the soccer field area that is normally abandoned. Also, simply having the chattering of others around me makes it a more enjoyable experience. Seeing others laughing and having a good time made the entire atmosphere happier.

It’s clearly spring out. Some of the little bushes where we were pulling out weeds from have little blooms on them. They’re still just tiny little buds though.

There is a little bush here with purple stalks and wide deep green leafs. It’s really pretty.

I don’t like how the weeds look. It’s hard for me to pull up something that looks pretty! They have flowers on them that add color to the ground and make it more interesting. Plus, most of the weeds look more vibrant than the actual plants they surround. So, why is it that some are desirable and the others aren’t?

The hardest plants to pull out (besides the non-weed plant that was pulled out accidentally) were the wild onions. They were also the most surprising to find. I never considered that something edible could reside in a public park. However, it just continues to demonstrate the uncontrollable nature of wilderness.

I completely understand why parks do not have maintained flowerbeds now. Honestly, for them to grow back so quickly, it seems a bit like a wasted effort. Though I am more sympathetic to the weeds so that may be why I feel this way. They are just trying to live, but because of what is deemed ‘desirable’ by humans they are snuffed out. So, I can see a desire to let them grow and just make them a part of the landscape that already exists.

If the purpose of the park is to experience nature, why is some nature okay while other types aren’t? While I understand the purpose of sculpted wilderness, the weeds offer a more authentic feeling. Nothing in life is perfect and nothing in nature is perfect. So, this desire to have a sculpted and immaculate flower garden is foreign. Why force something that is naturally beautiful to fit the human definition of beauty?

RENEWAL: William H. Whyte, The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, “Sitting Space” (24-39), “Smaller Cities and Places” (90-93)

Whyte states that one of the primary resources a park can use to draw people in is seating space. He notes that “the most popular plazas tend to have considerably more sitting space than the less well-used ones” (27). This is because seating provides a place to comfortably congregate. Whyte denotes the fact that “the most attractive fountains, the most striking designs, cannot induce people to come and sit if there is no place to sit” (28). If a place cannot encourage people to come and spend time at it, it cannot serve the purpose it was created for not matter how beautiful the design is. So, to encourage park use, seating must be added. To create seating one of the best methods is “to maximize the sittability of inherent features. This means making ledges so they are sittable, or making other flat surfaces do double duty as table tops or seats” (28). This allows structures that are both functional and beautiful to have a second purpose. This ensures that park do not simply become areas full of seating, they still serve the purpose of having open space, but the space that is taken up has multiple uses. Whyte discusses how the type of seating used is also important. He states that the optimal seating type is movable chairs. This is because movable “chairs enlarge choice: to move into the sun, out of it, to make room for groups, move away from them. The possibility of choice is as important as the exercise of it. If you know you can move if you want to, you feel more comfortable staying put.” (34). So, by giving people the opportunity to move, they are actually more inclined to stay in the same spot. However, the fact that they were given a choice makes them more comfortable. Whyte mentions the fact that benches are not a good choice for a public space. He states this because “they’re not so good for sitting. There are too few of them; they are too small; they are often isolated from other benches or from whatever action there is on the plaza.” (33). When benches are present, they are often small and spaced apart. This defeats the purpose of having an area for people to congregate. Benches do not provide a place for people to sit and actually have an experience with others. More often than not, benches serve to isolate people. This is why movable chairs are preferable. Because of the illusion of choice, people are more inclined to stay in the same area which is typically around others.

Whyte also notes that in smaller cities “it is tougher for them to create lively spaces than it is for a big city” (90). This is a result of the lower foot traffic that is present in these cities. It is noted that “If the number of passersby is under a rate of 1,000 per hour around noontime, a city could pave the street with gold for all the difference it would make.” (91). Without people in the downtown, there will be no use for the parks. To fix this issue, a demand must be created in downtown areas that will draw people in. Whyte states that “More stores, more offices, more reasons for being are what the downtown must have.” (91). When this is achieved, foot traffic will increase. By increasing the number of pedestrian, the parks that have been forgotten can be revitalized. They can become used again when a demand is created.

DECAY: Jane Jacobs, “The Uses of Neighborhood Parks” from The Death and Life of Great American Cities (116-145)

Jacobs notes the manner in which parks can be drastically different depending on their surroundings. She states “They can be delightful features of city districts, and economic assets to their surroundings as well, but pitifully few are” (16). This is because of the surroundings of the park. For a park to be successful, it must “be where life swirls- where there is work, cultural, and residential and commercial activity” (131). This is because “In cities, liveliness and variety attract more liveliness; deadness and monotony repel life” (129). So, when a park is surrounded by a variety of different activities, it encourages “diversity among users and their schedules” (126). This diversity of schedules ensures that the park is never fully empty and promotes a constant sense of liveliness that draws others in. When a park is surrounded by a non-diverse area, it is empty for the majority of the day. This creates a vacuum which is then filled with “what usually fills city vacuums- a form of blight” (127). This form of blight then discourages further use of the park by others. It is noted that these parks “have the same problems as streets without eyes, and their dangers spill over into the areas surrounding, so that streets along such parks become known as danger places too and are avoided” (123). Because of this reputation of danger, the parks are no longer uses and the area surrounding it is avoided by people. This damages the surrounding neighborhood indicating how parks can actually be detrimental to the community is a part of when it is not used properly.

To fix this issue, parks need to be used. It is noted that “if a generalized city park cannot be supported by uses arising from natural, nearby intense diversity, it must convert from a generalized park to a specialized park” (142). To promote the use of a park in a depressed area, it should be used for specific things and not just for general purposes. Instead of just having an area for people to rarely congregate, there should be some purpose behind it. It is shown that in parks such as this “most of the park’s life, such as it was, was in the ball field” (141). The park should be designed around the needs of the environment. For it to truly draw in people, it must provide a service that is desired. Instead of simply being an area of open space, it should be an area that encourages a specific use. The ball field draws in children who wish to play which then draws in adults. By creating this specific purpose for a park, life is drawn in. Event and specific structures have the ability to do this. It is noted that in the Corlears Hook “six times a year, on summer evenings, thousands of people from the Lower East Side pour into the park to hear a concert series” (141). This specific use of the park contributes to a population developing and actually promotes the purpose of park. If a general use of the park cannot be achieved by the surrounding environment, this specific purpose can draw people in and give life to a park.

Frederick Law Olmsted, from “Public Parks and the Enlargement of Towns”

Olmsted focuses on the importance of parks. He cites some of the positive aspects of parks as the health benefits that are promoted. While park activity may not be “increasing under medical advice” (10) currently, it does still play a significant role in health activities. A park creates a space for people to safely travel through and enjoy it. This in turn leads to a healthier lifestyle. However, this was not the main positive aspect of having a park. The purpose a park serves is to unite a community. By create a public space in which “escape from conditions requiring vigilance, wariness, and activity toward other men” (2), a park is creating a safe space for people to congregate. It is noted that “parents are willing to trust their school-girl daughters to ramble without special protection in the Park” (11). This is something that is unheard of in other areas of large towns. This connects with the fact that a park is truly a remarkable place that creates a sense of freedom for children and families. This in turn leads to stronger relationships among the people. When face to face interaction occurs, which is something parks promotes, a real sense of community is formed.  Also, parks simply make people happy. They provide a place where people can go ”stroll for an hour, seeing, hearing, and feeling nothing of the bustle and jar of the streets” (6). They can escape the busy demands of the city and relax for once. This leads to people who have a healthier mind set and because of the exposure to others that occurs in parks, they are more community aware.

It is noted that “the park should, as far as possible, compliment the town” (7). It should appear as if it is a natural extension of the town. It cannot simply be a section of the town, it must be a part of it. It is shown that “A park fairly well managed near a large town, will surely become a new center of that town” (7). This is because a park provides a pleasant break from the otherwise stifling environment of the city. So, by having a park that is an integral part of the town, this break is more readily accessible to people. Also, “no part of the town should finally be many minutes’ walk from some of [the park ways]” (8). The park cannot be cut off from the town, if it was, it would not serve as much of a purpose. By making the park accessible to all, it creates a place in which all walks of life can interact and a real community can be formed. It is noted that the park “is a simply, broad, open space of clean greensward, with sufficient play of surface and a sufficient number of trees about it to supply a variety of light and shade” (6). This is what is needed in a park. It should provide a pleasant place for people to relax, rest, play, and simply observe. This is the vision of the park that is promoted. It is a place that anyone can enjoy and use which in turn creates a greater sense of community.

4/3/17 Sit Spot Reflections

It’s quite windy out today. The tree branches are swaying in the wind. Plus, there is a single dandelion underneath the Live Oak that keeps bending forward. It’s new. I’ve never seen the flower before.

There is a weird smell out today. It smells slightly smoking, but I can’t tell if it’s that or the lawn mowers combined with the smell of freshly cut grass.

It’s very loud today because of the men cutting the grass. This is the first time I haven’t been able to hear the fountain.

It’s dreary today. There is a solid wall of grey clouds covering the sky. There isn’t anything but clouds visible. Sometimes it becomes suddenly bright though. This is when the clouds shift to a whiter section instead of the dark grey.

There are no creatures out today. I have only seen one squirrel and it’s in a tree. None of them are out to play or eat. I don’t know if it’s because of the weather or the lawn mowers.

There is a small tree next to the magnolia. It has bloomed more this week, but the crab apple trees no longer have blooms on them.

The only bird I hear today is a crow. I see it in the same spot as last week, on top of the light post.

It’s windy today. There is a constant wind blowing and pushing everything around.

The field looks even more barren this week. The backdrop of solid grey makes it seem lonelier.

Butterfly! This is basically the first sign of wildlife I have seen today. None of the normal birds, squirrels, or bugs are out today.

There are paw prints in the sand underneath the bench. They’re quite tiny. Looks like a little dog has been here.

There are a lot of people here today. I just witnessed a family walking across. The children raced to the fountain and then to the playground. They’re clearly having fun. Also, there are more people simply walking through the park. I have seen multiple groups of people which is not something I’ve seen before. Normally it’s just people walking their dogs or jogging.

I found the crow again! It sounded closer but I could never pinpoint its location. It’s in the Live Oak where he’s picking off twigs and carrying them away.

There are many dead leaves on the ground but none are falling. The new leaves on the trees are alive and strong. The leaves on the ground do keep getting pushed by the lawn mower. They look like they’re dancing in the artificial wind.

It’s much cleaner today. The leaves aren’t falling and the pollen particles aren’t here.

Duany et. al, Suburban Nation (115-133;153-175;234-237;240-243)

Cars are something that everyone who has grown up in sprawl accepts as a daily and necessary part of their lives. Many do not consider that there may be negative consequences on this dependence for cars. The authors of this text point this out the issues in this dependence on cars and the negative impact it has on a community. One reason as to why this complete dependence on cars is the fact that it limits the freedom of people. It is noted that “it is difficult to identify a segment of the population that does not suffer in some way from the lifestyle imposed by the contemporary suburban development”(115). This is a result of the fact that suburban developments force people to be dependent on their mode of transportation. Children are “dependent always on some adult to drive them around” (116) and the elderly know that “minute they lose their license, they will revert from adulthood to infancy” (123). Without a car, people cannot travel anywhere important within the layout of sprawl. This means that those without a car or who cannot drive have no way of getting what they need. They become reliant on others and their quality of life decreases significantly. This in turn impacts they makeup of the suburban neighborhoods. When the elderly cannot live comfortably in their homes, they are forced to move to areas where they can. This pushes suburbs to be made up of mostly families and shifts the demographics of the neighborhoods to be more homogeneous. This lack of diversity then impacts the future of the children being raised there. However, this is not the only way cars impact neighborhood communities.

It is noted that in the suburbs “there is no sense of community” (118).  This is a result of the fact that “all have to drive around in [their] own little worlds” (118). Because of the fact that the locations of any necessary part of life are so widely spread apart, a car is necessary to get anywhere. This means that people are constantly driving. This lack of walking through neighborhoods pushes community to dissolve. When there is no face to face interaction, a community cannot develop. Also, this constant push for driving changes the way cities are organized. In an attempt to bring people in from the suburbs, cities have hired “consultants of every ilk [who] turned [the] cities into freeways” (158). This change in the landscape of cites is completely opposite of the actions that need to be taken to develop communities and is a result of the dependence on cars. For a community to be successful, it must encourage pedestrian activity. This is what keeps businesses alive and creates relationships between people. For a community to be successful, the “The taming of the automobile is necessary” (161). When entire landscapes are altered to benefit the travel of cars, then there is no community available. People become separated because of the isolation individual ownership of cars offers. Also, it divides the population. It is noted that “most new jobs in the suburbs are accessible only to people with cars, and automobile ownership is a hurdle that the would be working poor are often unable to surmount” (131). People cannot get jobs without cars. However, people cannot get cars without jobs. This dangerous cycle promotes the constant oppression of the poor and serves to segregate the wealthy from the poor.