Park It

It’s not about size. Small parks have big impacts on our communities. By Yuki Hayashi

When it comes to urban parks, excellence comes in all sizes. There’s no disputing the allure of Manhattan’s sprawling Central Park or Barcelona’s extensive Parc de la Ciutadella. But scratch the surface of urban centres around the world and you’ll find any number of pocket parks — some no more than a city block in size — that add character and a sense of community to their neighbourhoods.

Often, the best pocket parks are fiercely protected local secrets. But with some gentle sleuthing, open hearts and an insider invitation graciously extended, a visitor may gain entrée to these urban gems.

SMALL IN SIZE, NOT SIGNIFICANCE

A key trait of the vibrant mini-park is its sense of place. Take Montréal’s ruelles vertes — a labyrinth of widely divergent “green alleys” featuring, perhaps, a verdant patch of garden, an herb-planted metal tub, a colourful fence mural, tandemseating Adirondack chairs in bright pink, neon-hued squares painted on the ground for impromptu hopscotch…. No two ruelles vertes are alike. Run by resident-led committees, these 450-plus city parkettes take on the particular characteristics of their neighbourhoods.

“The ruelles and how they look are mostly left up to the residents because they’re seen as an extension of the backyards

OPPOSITE PAGE: Montréal’s mini-parks offer the neighbourhood a place to gather. Photo: Éco-quartier St-Michel / François-Perrault. THIS PAGE (top): The design interventions that were outcomes of the West Garfield Park project. Photo: courtesy of Studio Gang. (bottom) A flower garden at Sam Lawrence Park in Hamilton, Ontario. Photo: James Hackland/Alamy

[abutting them]. So, it depends how much the [residents] want to look after or develop them,” says tour guide Gabriela Blanco, a lifelong Montréaler who grew up playing in the ruelles with her friends. “Some are very laissez-faire, but the areas with a lot of families tend to have really nice ruelles because they’re a good place for community events and for kids to play in.”

Many of the liveliest ruelles are located in the colourful Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood, where they re-emerged, in 1995, and where some of their most active stewards are. “The community aspect plays a really big role, so the closer the neighbours are, the more developed the ruelle is likely to be and [to host] events,” says Blanco.

Although ruelles are public spaces — visitors and locals alike use them as walking routes — you could benefit from a local connection for insider information on, say, an upcoming block party or concert, or even a simple, quiet social get-together. As Blanco notes, a ruelle is “just a nice place for neighbours to have a drink together and catch up.”

GROWING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Another factor essential to the success of the pocket park is community engagement. A mega park belongs to everyone — and no one in particular — which makes it logical for a city parks department to manage it. Small parks, on the other hand, have “community” built into their DNA and, as a result, they require residents to collaborate with urban planners, designers, architects and city officials.

In some cases, the stakes are particularly high, as with the ongoing revitalization project in Chicago’s West Garfield Park neighbourhood, tasked with improving public safety and curtailing gun violence. To promote a sense of community through cultural and wellness programs, the city-sponsored project is currently involved in creating people-oriented spaces, including a plaza and a library, as well as converting a vacant lot into an outdoor roller-skating rink.

Tapped to helm the project was Studio Gang, an internationally renowned architecture-and-urban-planning practice based in Chicago. Collaborating with the residents and local stakeholders — community leaders, outreach workers and anti-violence activists — was key to the firm’s strategy. To that end, Studio Gang organized resident-led walking tours to pinpoint community priorities. It also launched a youth leadership program for young designers to introduce them to the collaborative design process.

This side-by-side (instead of top-down) collaboration with local residents allows small parks to think big and make a positive impact on their neighbourhoods.

COMMUNITY BUILDING, ONE LOT AT A TIME

“Parks, green spaces, alleys — and even streets and parking lots — are personal to residents,” says Brenda Duke, who has been volunteering for the past decade in her neighbourhood, in Hamilton, Ontario. “When they see it as ‘my park,’ they are more likely to play there, walk their dog there or use it to take a shortcut to their destination. This creates a sense of responsibility and ownership.”

For a parkette to be successful, it’s important to recognize that it’s hyperlocal. “Each area is unique to the neighbourhood where it is located,” Duke points out. “Listening to the needs and desires of the community shows that their voice matters — ‘Let me tell you what we’d like. Don’t tell me what I need.’ ”

For some communities, the priority could be a splash pad and playground for the children. Another neighbourhood may opt for a leash-free dog park, while another may prefer public art or a community garden with shared or private plots.

“When the community takes part in the planning and implementation, they are more invested,” notes Duke. “Everyone has a passion, and when you touch that passion, you’ve got them engaged.”

It’s this resident engagement that is likely to create ripple effects through the community. It may start with a park to entice neighbourhood citizens to stroll through, children in tow, alongside pet owners walking their dogs. And that rollerskating rink downtown? It could well spark the emergence of a generation of future civic leaders committed to developing their beloved community down the road.