"Several decades ago, when William H. (Holly) Whyte was doing his "street
life" research and observing people walking in cities, he concluded
that people will walk many blocks if the walk is interesting. The
quarter mile radius nonsense came from shopping center architects who
used that as a standard template. But who would want to walk more than
1200 feet in a parking lot?"-Mark Hinshaw
The more frequently you change someone's view as they walk, the better
you entertain them. Entertaining those who are walking means they'll
likely keep walking. link
Walk Appeal
Steve Mouzon, Better! Cities & Towns
Walk
Appeal promises to be a major new tool for understanding and building
walkable places, and it explains several things that were heretofore
either contradictory or mysterious. It begins with the assertion that
the quarter-mile radius (or 5-minute walk,) which has been held up for a
century as the distance Americans will walk before driving, is actually
a myth.
Both images below are at the same scale, and the yellow
dashed line is a quarter-mile radius. On the left is a power center. As
we all know, if you're at Best Buy and need to pick something up at Old
Navy, there's no way you're walking from one store to another. Instead,
you get in your car and drive as close as possible to the Old Navy front
door. You'll even wait for a parking space to open up instead of
driving to an open space just a few spaces away… not because you're
lazy, but because it's such a terrible walking experience.
The
image on the right is Rome. The circles are centered on the Piazza del
Popolo (North is to the left) and the Green radius goes through the
Vittorio Emanuele on the right. People regularly walk that far and then
keep on walking without ever thinking of driving. The London standard - 2 miles
Like
Rome, the world's great cities have streets that are so good that
you'll happily walk for miles. For convenience, I've set a two-mile
radius for the London Standard, which was so named because I presented
it for the first time in London. But it could just as easily have been
the Paris Standard, the Florence Standard, or… you get the idea.
Europeans are reputed to walk much further than Americans, and for this
reason: their streets have much better Walk Appeal. Put a Parisian
accustomed to walking five miles or more per day on a suburban American
cul-de-sac, and they wouldn't walk much, either!
The T5 standard - 3/4 mile
People
will walk about 3/4 of a mile on a good American Main Street. Or to be
more precise, this is Transect Zone T5. Good T5 streets pull buildings
right up to the sidewalk, and most of the buildings are fairly narrow
because real estate is usually expensive in T5. Narrow storefronts
change the walkers' view frequently, which is more entertaining than
long blank walls or long stretches of the same building. New Urbanists
from Australia have for years been advocating for a "elongated
pedestrian shed" along Main Streets or High Streets. Walk Appeal shows
precisely why they'e been right all this time....
When you just want a container of milk, it's a lot easier going to the nearest convenience store or deli rather then traveling to a supermarket.
In a similar way when you just want a place to sit near your present location is a different experience then walking up to 10 minutes to reach the nearest community park/playground or going out for a weekend trip to the Hudson River Park or the High Line.
Chelsea needs both large supermarket parks and small places near your block where you can just sit and relax outdoors.
We currently have a "Supermarket"sized park/playgrounds/plaza within a 10 minute walk of ever Chelsea resident.
What we are lacking are "Convenience store" parks within a minute or two walk of every Chelsea resident. NYC has created a great system of centralized supermarket sized parks but has failed to create a complimentary system of decentralized "Convenience store" sized parks that would allow you to grab a seat near where your currently located.
A Convenience store park can be as simple as a park bench near where you live
see Citybench to request a bench like this near where you live
here are some other examples of Convenience store park .
Micropark in Queens at 145th Street
A CURB EXTENSION that provides space for community facilities such as bicycle parking, seating,
and
other street furniture.In areas with inadequate sidewalk width to
accommodate needed functional sidewalk elements for the community, the
extra space provided by a curb extension can be used for
bike parking, seating, public art, gardens, plantings, or trees, alone or in combination.
Benefits: Improves the public realm and creates useful public space, particularly in areas where public open space is in short supply
Allows limited street space to serve multiple functions, thereby increasing the performance of street infrastructure
The mid-block chicane is a great way to reclaim street space for use by the community, and has proven an effective technique
to dramatically reduce vehicle speeds. Cars have ample space to maneuver around
the
chicane; they must simply do so more slowly. (simulation). (Note this
above is a Transportation Alternatives design, we would design with a
combination of cement pathways and garden. )
A NYC Coffee Shop Transforms its Parking Spaces into Outdoor Seating
"The outdoor space was a hit from the beginning. The timelapse video
below shows a "day in the life" of Local. 96 people enjoy the special
seating in the space of a few hours, space usually taken up by two
parked cars.
While I was at Local, a customer asked if they were
going to install the platform again this year. The answer is yes- Liz
and Craig plan on having it installed in April; it will remain in place
until at least October.
On a street (and a city) where public
space is limited, Liz said, the outdoor area recreated in miniature the
"bench culture" of people bringing chairs to the street and creating a
community. That opportunity to connect with people is especially
important in cities, where, despite being surrounded by millions, it's
easy to feel isolated and alone. And who needs all those cars, anyway?"link
Curbside public seating platforms offer well-designed seasonal,
outdoor public open spaces and seating at places where sidewalk seating
is not available. During warm-weather months, when the demand to spend
time outdoors increases, curbside seating platforms may temporarily
replace a few parking spots with neighborhood gathering places perfect
for eating, reading, working, meeting a friend, or taking a rest. They
also help beautify the streetscape with attractive landscaping. Watch out a time-lapse video of a day in the life of a curbside seating platform Download an evaluation of the 2011 pilot of curbside public seating (pdf)
Curbside seating platforms are designed, installed and maintained by
the adjacent sponsoring business. The seating is open to the public, not
restricted to patrons of any particular establishment. Waiter service
or commercial activity at the tables is strictly prohibited, as is
smoking and alcohol consumption. link
I recently visited a lot of Manhattan Public Parks and Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS) that offer no activities for seniors except sitting on a bench. Here's some ideas how to create spaces that allow more to occur...
Playground in Springfield Township opens for seniors
By Kathy Antoniotti
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published: November 4, 2011 - 08:49 AM
Exercise stations wait to be put into
use at the new senior playground on the shores of Springfield Lake in
Springfield Twp., Ohio. The site may possibly be the first of its kind
in the U.S. (Ed Suba Jr./Akron Beacon Journal)
SPRINGFIELD TWP.: If you build it, they will come — especially if it is designed for fun.
That’s
the premise Bobby Dinkins, director of the Boyd Esler Senior and
Community Center, used when he launched the plan to get an adult
playground built on the edge of Springfield Lake.
The playground, in the planning stages for more than a year, opened with much fanfare Thursday.
The
eight pieces of low-impact athletic equipment designed especially for
older adults is believed to be only the second of its kind in the
country, Dinkins said. He has been told the only other playground in the
U.S dedicated to seniors is located in Arizona.
He is certain it is the first built in Ohio.
“In
2010, I started looking for more activities for seniors and Googled
‘playgrounds,’ ” Dinkins said Thursday. The only ones he could find
online are in several European countries.
Dinkins took his
proposal to Summit County Councilwoman Paula Prentice, who suggested he
look into obtaining a Community Block Development Grant to finance the
playground. She put him in touch with several people who were willing to
help with the application.
“I heard that it takes a village to
raise a kid, but I found out very quickly that it takes a village to
apply for a CBD Grant,” Dinkins said to laughter from the crowd, made up
of seniors, township trustees and several county officeholders.
In October, the township learned it was awarded $33,500 to buy the equipment and have it erected.
On
Thursday, several adults from the senior center tried out the new line
of equipment from KOMPAN Inc. of Tacoma, Wash., as the Goodyear blimp
cruised overhead in blue sky.
Usually, the senior center members
get together for card games — pinochle on Mondays and euchre on Fridays,
said Brenda Turner, 71, and Wanda Lee, 73, who waited for their turns
to try out a machine they thought would help them trim their waistlines.
“After sitting for a few hours [playing cards], it will be fun to come out here,” Lee said.
Bill Croghan was climbing on a pedal machine when he reminded the women what is on the menu for today’s card game.
“Don’t forget. We’re having pizza this Friday,” he said.
“Then we can come down here and work it off,” Lee shot back at him.
County
Councilwoman Sandra Kurt said the playground would give seniors another
reason to come out and enjoy each other’s company while having fun in
the process.
“Interacting socially with others benefits the mind,
which is vital to a healthy aging process, and lowers the need for
medical services,” Kurt said.
County Executive Russ Pry congratulated Dinkins and township officials on the acquisition of the playground.
“This will really make a big difference in the lives of the seniors in this area,” Pry said.
Kathy Antoniotti can be reached at 330-996-3565 or kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com
NOW OPEN
9am-9pm - April to September
10am-4pm - October to March
A FREE outdoor playground is now open in Hyde Park.
The new facility includes six pieces of exercise equipment to help
users improve core strength, flexibility and balance. Equipment has
been selected to ensure that a high level of accessibility, ease of use
and enjoyment can be ensured for all users.
The playground has been especially designed for older people to
enjoy and is not suitable for use by people under the age of 15 years.
It is located within the Hyde Park Bowls and Tennis Centre enclosure.
Background
During 2008/09 The Royal Parks was approached by the Knightsbridge
Association to provide an Older People's Play Area in Hyde Park, funded
by Westminster City Council's neighbourhood budget scheme for
Knightsbridge and Belgravia via residents and the Knightsbridge
Association.
The Royal Parks then commissioned a feasibility study to explore
the idea further and consulted with a number of local and special
interest groups.
Similar projects have been successfully installed at Dam Head Park
(Manchester), Heathfield Recreation Ground (Whitton) and Hampton Common
(Richmond).
(Kirsty
Wigglesworth / AP) Pensioners Winston Fletcher, right, and Frances
Blois enjoy equipment in London's first playground designed for seniors
in Hyde Park, London. The outdoor facility features keep-fit equipment
to help adults in their later years to keep fit and improve strength and
flexibility
(NaturalNews) Last spring the UK made news by opening the first senior
playground in London's Hyde Park. The new Hyde Park playground has six
pieces of equipment including a stationary bicycle, a cross-trainer and a
sit-up bench. Since then new playgrounds have sprung up on four
continents.
When they exercise outdoors, seniors say, they laugh.
That's the first thing that happens. They socialize and swap recipes.
They benefit from stronger bodies, the chance to meet others, and,
especially, the laughter.
In 2008, the first playground for
people over 60 was opened in Dam Head Park, Manchester, United Kingdom.
The park featured low impact exercise equipment designed to help older
people improve their balance and flexibility. Seniors often do not use
gyms because they can't afford the fees or they do not feel comfortable.
They don't like having to adjust the machines, and they might find the
surround sound music, with young people vigorously pumping iron,
intimidating.
But exercise is important for seniors. Active
seniors are more likely to remain independent. Exercise promotes good
balance and flexibility and reduces overall health problems.
The
new playground equipment, designed for seniors, can be used by a pair in
tandem, or singly. Each piece has detailed instructions for use. They
are easy to use and focus on cardiovascular exercise, core strength and
balance.
Actually, the concept of senior playgrounds did not
originate in the UK. China, Japan and Finland have long encouraged
generational exercise. In Japan, which has some of the longest-lived
people in the world, the city of Tokyo opened Nursing Care Prevention
Parks in 2004 which featured work stations and colorful equipment such
as jungle gyms, balance beams and stretch apparatus.
Such
facilities also existed in the United States but were often located at
senior centers or retirement communities rather than public parks. In
the 70s, in the U.S. outdoor parks featured walks with exercise stations
for anyone to use.
That concept was based on a perceived
preference for walking. Now, however, the trend is toward working out.
With the first wave of Boomers turning 64, and the cost of senior
playgrounds comparing favorably with the cost of indoor equipment and
facilities, an expansion of senior playgrounds is imminent in U.S.
parks.
Many countries around the world are building and utilizing
playgrounds for the elderly.
With birthrates falling and the number of senior citizens
rising, many of the unused playgrounds around the world are being
revamped for seniors to use.
The Association of Physical Fitness and Promotional Guidance has
stated that the needs are growing, and many countries have jumped
on the bandwagon for these new playgrounds. The old playgrounds
that are not used any longer by children are rebuilt to give
seniors the opportunity to work on hips, legs and torsos, and even
stations for pull-ups, push-ups, stretching exercises and pedaling.
The low-impact stations will aid in recovery from surgeries and
falls, as well as keep seniors fit.
Being outdoors is also a benefit for seniors, letting them gain
fresh air and network with other seniors they may not otherwise
visit. Many of these parks are under supervision by physical
therapists or other physical trainers.
More than 15,000 pieces of workout equipment have been installed
in Japan, and the number of seniors who utilize the playgrounds
daily has doubled. Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany,
to name a few, have begun this revamping in their parks for seniors
to help them gain regular, gentle exercise for body maintenance and
physical fitness.
In some cases, there is a heightened feeling of well-being after
the exercise regimen is completed. One lady interviewed said that
she stood up and walked straighter after the trip to her park. She
went on to say that she tended to slouch or walk bent over at
home.
If you do not have a senior park in your area, why not lobby
your local officials to start one? There are all kinds of designs
and things that can be incorporated, including balance beams just a
few inches off the ground, pedaling cycles, exercise bars for
chin-ups and pull-ups, walkways and other general exercise
equipment that is considered low impact. There is even equipment
available that can be used by someone in a wheelchair to build
upper body strength.
Check your area for workout sites that are outdoors. The spring,
summer and fall are excellent times to get out and walk, work out
to a low-impact regimen and visit with others of the same age.
There is no fee and plenty of opportunities to raise the quality of
life for our senior citizens while they are outdoors gaining fresh
air.
Wii games have done a wonderful thing in nursing homes to help
seniors move again and loosen up tight muscles. It is time to take
the action outside. We have a lovely bike path to use for walking
and biking. Now we should lobby for these workout sites. Let's get
going!
Rexlyn Nicole is a senior outreach case manager with CHELP. Call
her at 422-9888
November 10, 2007 at 11:27 pm | In cities, health, victoria | 1 Comment
I previously heard of playgrounds for the elderly through various newspaper articles, but Tokyo-based Ping Magazine has a beautiful blog entry that includes many pictures, to give us an idea of what the gear actually looks like. Surf over to Playgrounds For The Elderly:Fit In An Aging Society. Ping Magazine‘s entry includes not just pictures, but also a terrific interview with Mr. Karakawa of the Takao Corporation, which makes these playgrounds. Here are some excerpts of Karakawa’s answers, beginning with some background information:
In 2004, the Chiyoda Ward commissioned us to build an
experimental model community centre to promote exercise for the elderly
and decrease dependence on nursing care. The Chiyoda Ward had already
started some programs conducted indoors, in which the elderly do light
tactile exercise to prevent senility. However, they didn’t have any
means for them to exercise outdoors, so they asked us to construct
something to be used in a park.
(…)
We have been making what we call healthy playgrounds with an emphasis on exercise for decades. However, our new concept with this equipment is nursing care prevention playgrounds.
We took our previous designs for equipment to help sit-ups and push-ups
and modified them for light exercise especially for the elderly.
(…)
A year after our first project in Nishi-Kanda Park, we installed nursing care prevention gear at another park in the ward. At that time, professors from the nearby Tokyo National University of Fine Arts & Music
and residence of Chiyoda Ward helped us with what colours for the
equipment would suite best the park. They also advised on how to better
name the equipment. As in our first project, we gave the gear English
names, such as “stretch-step.” But this time we used simple Japanese
names that the elderly can understand more easily .
Sounds like a win-win for the users and for the community as a whole.
In honor of Origami USA 2012 and Lillian Oppenheimer Origami Place was dedicated by Proclamation June 23-25 2012
PROCLAMATION
A PROCLAMATION by the Park
Chelsea Parks Commissioner,
recognizing “OrigamiUSA
2012” on June 22-25th, 2012.
WHEREAS, ParkChelsea is
concerned about the lack of enough great outdoor activities in the
Chelsea neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, the ParkChelsea's
mission is to encourage and create more outdoor space activities in
the Chelsea neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, in order to do so
ParkChelsea partners with local institutions to create these
opportunities; and
WHEREAS, Origami USA 2012
participants have promised to place several Origami creations at
Park Chelsea's Park and Community Garden on 26th St and
8th Ave, NW Corner.
WHEREAS, Lillian
Oppenheimer, storyteller, puppeteer and founder of the Origami center
was a friend of Ranger Bob, Park Chelsea Parks Commissioner.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that ParkChelsea hereby officially recognize the
OrigamiUSA 2012 to be in the best interest of the citizens of
Chelsea and that henceforth the site of Park Chelsea's Park and
Community Garden on 26th St and 8th Ave, NW
Corner shall be known as Origami Place (in memory of Lillian
Oppenheimer) from June 23,2012 to June 25, 2012.
For parks that extend over a large area a map of the park can be useful...
Central Park extends over a very large area, posted and printed versions of Central Park maps make it easier to find different attractions of the park...
Posted Map of Central Park in front of Park HQ on 65th St and 5th Ave
Printed Portable Central Park map version
Park chelsea extends over a very large area, posted and printed versions
of park Chelsea maps make it easier to find different attractions of
the park...
Park Chelsea laminated map version posted on city property
Park Chelsea printed portable map version
NYC's opens spaces opportunities are in general created by 4 organizations, the Parks Department (parks, Greenstreets), NYC Department of Transportation (Plazas), NYC Dept of City Planning (Privately Owned Public Spaces(POPS)) and neighborhood Business Improvement districts (BIDS)
This is the Parks Department map, seen here is Chelsea. This map does not show DOT Plazas, nor City Planning POPS.
This map is the City Planning Department map of POPS for Community Board 5 that are in Chelsea , it does not show DOT Plazas, nor Parks Department Playgrounds/smaller Parks.
NYC DOT does not produce a Plaza's map that we know about.
23rd Street Flatiron BID map(not shown) shows City parks and Plazas, but does not show POPS.
Private maps generally list only larger NYC parks, totally ignoring Plazas, POPS and smaller NYC parks.
The Park Chelsea map is a neighborhood map and it is the only map listing all the Parks, Plazas, POPS, and benches in the neighborhood.
But what's rarely found is Community Advertising, the use of our public spaces to alert us to important information about the neighborhoods we live in.
An exception to this is in some of our BID's
Flatiron Bid cart, offers maps of the BID plus a view of the BID(right)
. The 34th Street Partnership Business Improvement District, shows an example using a city lamppost to inform passersby of community information.
34th Street Partnership Visitors Information
The concept of placing the ParkChelsea map on public property is an example of adding this type of neighborhood functionality to an area outside of our city's BID;'s.
ParkChelsea map posted on a NYC street pole
The ParkChelsea map shown above is laminated to make it waterproof and can be added to city property at a small fraction of the cost of building a custom structure as in the case of the 34th Street Partnership BID's custom build post structure.
Seen here a Community Advertising "Totem Pole" with sample flyers for (from top) Attractions and Community Resources, Age Friendly Grocery Guide, Age-Friendly Businesses.
map is laminated then attached to corrugated plastic backing which is attached by plastic cable ties to a parking sign pole
Getting permission to post on City Street Property
NYC Administrative law § 10-119 states...
Posting. a. It shall be unlawful for any person to paste,
post, paint, print, nail or attach or affix by any means whatsoever any
handbill, poster, ... bench, traffic barrier, hydrant, public pay telephone, any personal
property maintained on a city street or other city-owned property
..., however, that this section shall not apply to any handbill, poster, notice, sign, advertisement, sticker or other printed material so posted by or under the direction of the council, or by or under the direction of any city agency...link
What
this law means is that private citizens cannot normally post on NYC
property, and those that have are subject to big fines . However NYC agencies can and so can any organization given
permission to do so by the City Council.
ParkChelsea
will be discussing this law with city council members, city agencies and community boards
to discuss if it can be used to allow council members and community
boards to post Community Advertisements on our city streets. If so then
in the future you can expect to see material like this posted legally on our
city streets:
Recently this NYC Police flyer was posted in Chelsea
Due to a lack of legitimate community bulletin board spaces it was posted as above, and below
by adding a community bulletin board poster function to this pole, the needs of our community could be better served
The London standard - 2 miles
