line + box

Happy birthday Alexander! Dinner at Ranch 616 then a surprise party at Brian and Daniel’s complete with a piñata with an uncanny resemblance to Alex’s head. Fun to smash.

Another surprise was in store for Alex Saturday morning at East Side Cafe where his entire family was waiting for him. Belinis, blintzes, and blueberries. Oh my!

Alex and I are currently in a custody battle over Otilie Ann Odom. Since we live in two separate cities, we switch her off every week. It’s just so lonely here in my one bedroom efficiency I want her EVERY week.

Otilie’s favorite activities are chewing up anything left on the floor including shoes, paper, and my Bose headphones. She loves chasing dogs half her size, especially when being waked by old ladies. O, and she loves to cuddle. Best dog ever.

I was particularly interested in the reading about Jane Jacobs and her book written in the 1960s questioning established practices in urban planning. Even in class we have been assuming that green spaces and parks revitalize an urban neighborhood and provide safe spaces for women and children. Jacobs questions and even proves that this is often not the case with many accepted practices. Narrow, crowded neighborhood streets area often better places for children to play as they are safer because of neighbors’ ability to watch from their windows. An intricate “street ballet” occurs in these heavily populated areas that is beneficial to its residents for the interpersonal relationships it establishes.

From my own observations, I haven’t been particularly impressed with the park only a few hundred feet from my apartment. Maybe it is because of the recent murder of a young woman by an attacker on King Street, but I don’t feel particularly safe alone in this park. It seems to be more of a refuge for the homeless than for children. I mentioned this in my observations this week as well. Perhaps, for myself, it is the “perception of crime” that hinders my use more than actual crime. I found this brief paragraph about this.

“However, there is a difference between actual crime statistics in a park and the perception of crime in a protected area. People’s perception of crime in the Heart of the City can be distorted by old information, ignorance of the facts, racism, or other influences. Perception of crime is typically identified as the most significant concern that prevents outsiders from visiting the Heart of the City and from using the open space resources in the area, particularly Franklin Park. Actual crime statistics in Heart of the City parks reflect that the parks are as safe or safer than those in other neighborhoods of Boston and that crime incidences have plummeted since the 1970s.”

Overall, I’m more creating an opposing viewpoint than arguing that parks are unnecessary or always unsafe. A park cannot just exist as an open space, it must be well kempt, highly visible, and perceived as safe.