Does your area have Passive Parks?

[Anne34]

My town common is a passive park. No "playing", no balls/frisbees, no dogs, no sitting on the grass. You must stay on the pathways or the benchs/seating provided throughout the park.

Then what is the purpose of the "park"? Just to look pretty?

I've never been to a park that you can't even go on the grass!!

 

[testifyoncruises]

There are two parks in our city that are HUGE and now deemed passive parks. The council of the town last year passed the ordinance for reasons we cannot tell. The city's own website states that the purpose of the parks are to inspire physical activity and social growth.

This is the first we had ever heard of anything like this and wondered if this was common in other areas.

 

[suejai]

Our town is in the process of creating a passive park. It has a walking trail and benches. The purpose of this particular park is as a memorial park, where people would donate trees and other landscaping features in memory of a loved one. I think it is a nice idea, we do have another area where residents can play sports and there is a splash park etc.

 

[locolala]

There are two parks in our city that are HUGE and now deemed passive parks. The council of the town last year passed the ordinance for reasons we cannot tell. The city's own website states that the purpose of the parks are to inspire physical activity and social growth.

This is the first we had ever heard of anything like this and wondered if this was common in other areas.

So walking with friends and enjoying the outdoors isn't a physical or social activity? People would like places they can go relax outside without hearing other people yelling or getting run over by people not paying attention.

 

[Jennasis]

So walking with friends and enjoying the outdoors isn't a physical or social activity? People would like places they can go relax outside without hearing other people yelling or getting run over by people not paying attention.

You can still yell...just can't play football. And you could (theoretically) still get run over by people not paying attention whilst walking with friends.

 

[testifyoncruises]

We didn't know that this was changed to a passive park last year. The signs are not all over the park.

It is not like this park was set up as a "passive" park. This was a park enjoyed by all, walkers, daydreamers, football, soccer players and then suddenly made into a passive park.

Now the only places where you can play these games are where you must pay to join a recreational league. So no more pick up games after the big game or picnic.

Absolutely a horrible idea to discourage physical activity in a country were obesity, diabetes and heart disease are so prevalent.

 

[Jennasis]

We didn't know that this was changed to a passive park last year. The signs are not all over the park.

It is not like this park was set up as a "passive" park. This was a park enjoyed by all, walkers, daydreamers, football, soccer players and then suddenly made into a passive park.

Now the only places where you can play these games are where you must pay to join a recreational league. So no more pick up games after the big game or picnic.

Absolutely a horrible idea to discourage physical activity in a country were obesity, diabetes and heart disease are so prevalent.

And there is your answer. The PTB wanted to make money.

 

[tinatark]

Can you bring your rented cow, or dog, or whatever animal you choose to a passive park? Animals aren't passive, so I guess they wouldn't be allowed there.

 

[Silent1CB]

We didn't know that this was changed to a passive park last year. The signs are not all over the park.

It is not like this park was set up as a "passive" park. This was a park enjoyed by all, walkers, daydreamers, football, soccer players and then suddenly made into a passive park.

Now the only places where you can play these games are where you must pay to join a recreational league. So no more pick up games after the big game or picnic.

Absolutely a horrible idea to discourage physical activity in a country were obesity, diabetes and heart disease are so prevalent.

We have some parks that are JUST athletic fields. Many fields. Free. People go there to play those games. And the school fields too.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Hi, ToC! Haven't seen you around lately. I was worried that you left us.

You start the most interesting threads.

Never heard of a park actually called "passive," but keeping football and Frisbee confined to certain areas of a public recreation area is not a bad thing. I've been clocked in the head by both objects accidentally, and it's not fun.

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

Can you bring your rented cow, or dog, or whatever animal you choose to a passive park? Animals aren't passive, so I guess they wouldn't be allowed there.

Now, see, this is exactly the type of stuff that peeves me off about the dis. what does that have to do with this thread?? I know what old thread you are referring to and I think you are being a BULLY to bring that up right now. I'm better now....I really HAD to get that off my chest.

 

[Silent1CB]

 

[testifyoncruises]

The DISboards are full of bullies frankly. I just ignore them.

What most are not getting is this was not some new green area or park. It is not like that city sectioned off a previously active park and said this part has to be passive. They just decided that two major parks in town will now be passive. The entire parks.

I honestly have never heard of passive parks until this.

 

[Planogirl]

I wish that we had one of those here. All of our parks are devoted to ball play only and there is nowhere to quietly read a book or just sit in the sun. Luckily our neighboring town has a nice big nature preserve where we can hike. We just have to watch for bikes on paths meant for foot traffic only.

 

[shortbun]

I think this is a very dumb idea. I would never guess that a park-green space for public use-could be designated 'passive.' What's the purpose for this, intentional weight gain?

 

[MM27]

People keep bringing up the overweight thing, but who says that people that go to these "passive parks" are not getting exercise somewhere else? I walk my dog at a huge park near my home and I see fit looking people sitting on the benches reading or people having a picnic on the ground quietly.

If the park has a sign that says it's passive and people know that going in, I don't see the problem. I would just go somewhere else if I wanted to do a non passive activity. Perhaps some people like to get out into the great outdoors without having to be hit by balls and frisbees or see rowdy kids running amok.

 

[Jennasis]

People keep bringing up the overweight thing, but who says that people that go to these "passive parks" are not getting exercise somewhere else? I walk my dog at a huge park near my home and I see fit looking people sitting on the benches reading or people having a picnic on the ground quietly.

If the park has a sign that says it's passive and people know that going in, I don't see the problem. I would just go somewhere else if I wanted to do a non passive activity. Perhaps some people like to get out into the great outdoors without having to be hit by balls and frisbees or see rowdy kids running amok.

Out of curiosity...how many times HAS this happened to you?

 

[disneyjunkie]

People keep bringing up the overweight thing, but who says that people that go to these "passive parks" are not getting exercise somewhere else? I walk my dog at a huge park near my home and I see fit looking people sitting on the benches reading or people having a picnic on the ground quietly.

If the park has a sign that says it's passive and people know that going in, I don't see the problem. I would just go somewhere else if I wanted to do a non passive activity. Perhaps some people like to get out into the great outdoors without having to be hit by balls and frisbees or see rowdy kids running amok.

Kids playing IN A PARK = rowdy kids runnng amok??? When did that happen?

I see parks as one place where kids are free to run, play, jump, scream...

 

[akcire]

We didn't know that this was changed to a passive park last year. The signs are not all over the park.

It is not like this park was set up as a "passive" park. This was a park enjoyed by all, walkers, daydreamers, football, soccer players and then suddenly made into a passive park.

Now the only places where you can play these games are where you must pay to join a recreational league. So no more pick up games after the big game or picnic.

OP-I have read this entire post, and I am shocked.

This idea of a "passive park" sounds like social engineering that the idiots who run my town would concoct as a way to keep out the "undesirables".

They passed an ordinance on gangs a couple of years ago that basically stated if 3 or more similarly dressed individuals were in public conducting the same activity together they could be arrested. Of course their first big 'bust' was arresting about 30 hispanic men playing soccer in our park. Unluckily for the cops and the town these hispanic men were made up of a combination of socioeconomic spheres and a couple of the arrestees were lawyers (one practicing civil rights law). My favorite quote from this guy that appeared in the local paper was that children would not be able to wear "team uniforms" when participating in local sports, for if they all dressed alike they too would be subject to arrest.

My next door neighbor is a progressive thinking police officer in town, when this law was first passed I rang his door bell one Saturday morning and told him he needed to call the chief and the SWAT team immediately. I had just visited the local farmers market and there were Amish selling baked goods, and under this new "gang law" they too were in violation. We had a good laugh.

Some how I think this passive parks idea is the same as my towns "gang law" (which has now been repealed). I don't really think that the US has an epidemic of people being injured while walking or sitting in parks. Also in any city can you imagine a more idiotic usage of a cops time? I wonder how often the police have wasted their valuable time stopping park play, when they could be responding to a more serious matter. Also I wonder if the crime rate has escalated since the youth can no longer go to the park and play a game, and instead are bored committing petty vandalism or worse.

 

[MM27]

The point is, some people may want to have a quiet area where they can go and they don't want to hear kids screaming, people playing loud music, etc. That's where having a different park for those people can come in handy.

I guess I don't see the problem with them as some people do. If someone wants to have a quiet, relaxing, outdoor place to go, they should have that option. If it's the only park in town, then no it shouldn't be designated that way, but if there are other options for those that will be using it in a different way, then I don't see the problem. If you don't like what that park offers, go somewhere else.

I wish my town would designate one of our beaches as a quiet beach because yes, I have seen people hit with frisbees and footballs as they were laying out on the beach minding their business. Kids playing and getting a bit too silly and end up kicking sand over other people in the area. Kids unsupervised because their own parents were seeking out a quiet spot to not be bothered.