I have new found appreciation for the intense time and effort it takes to plan public recreation projects. I stumbled across the "Play Your Future Park" game while exploring Social Impact Games. Before you can even begin playing, the participant is asked to ask a question about a current par
k project in process in New York. I got every answer wrong, until there was only one choice left. Oh well.
After finding an appropriate location to build a park, I had to build up public support and find funding for the project. What a task! I eventually decided to let the corporate money pour in and let the big businesses leave their name on everything in the park. The park was becoming beautiful and lush, but there is something about Martha Stewart's name on an information booth that just doesn't seem quite right. I wanted a beautiful park not a K-mart linen's section! I continued to deliberate over a series of tough choices, all of which did not settle all too well in my gut. Do I build a playground for kids or a Bocce Ball court for Senior Citizens? Do I build athletic fields or do I foster a nature reserve, or both? How clean do I want the bathrooms? Should i be cheap and get a porto? What about food? Picnic or snack bar...picnic...snack bar? I don't know! What about crime in the nearby area? Should I have the police out in full force, or let things run their course?
Even after juggling many tough decisions, the overall space of the park became consumed with all of the outcomes. The end result, didn't really look much like a "park" It looked like an attraction! I would rather have a nice lush space where people can run and roam. What I created was a crowded landscape that looked more like Disneyland on crack. The underlying point of the entire game is to look at the consequence of choice. It's inherent that there is a detailed process involved in the planning and designing of public spaces. Is it all necessary? I felt overwhelmed with choices and decisions to make. In the end, the original idea I had for a park, had transformed into a recreational nightmare. Although my vision for a park disintegrated, witnessing the process was definitely fun and challenging. At any rate, I highly recommend it. Have fun!
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