An historical analysis of young people's use of public space, parks and playgrounds in New York City
Children's access to public play space has declined
In this study, Wridt spent over three years in a working-class New York City community conducting an historical analysis from the 1930s until the early 2000s of residents’ spatial and environmental experiences between the ages of 11 and 13. In her study, she used a variety of research methods. In this particular paper, the author reports on her findings from extensive environmental autobiographies with residents by looking in-depth at three individuals whose experiences are representative of a particular time period. In her analysis, she found that youth in this community in the 1940s spent a significant amount of time playing in the streets, which was an important space for adventure, meeting other children, and independence. By the 1950s, however, with the increased prevalence of automobiles and child death due to automobile accidents, numerous parks and playgrounds were built to protect children. As a result, children’s play began to move off the streets into parks and playgrounds that, in many cases, offered structured, city-sponsored activities. By the 1970s and 1980s, with New York City’s fiscal crises, many of the parks and playgrounds fell into disrepair and became unsafe. As a result, children’s play began to move from the parks and playgrounds to indoor environments. The author found that in the 2000s, children in this community had largely retreated indoors. Their activities took place in private or institutionalized settings and were often dominated by various forms of electronic media. Importantly, she highlights disparities that can occur in children’s access to both outdoor and indoor spaces based on race and economic status. She concludes that while today’s children in this community still play in the streets, parks, and playgrounds, their play generally occurs in indoor spaces and consists of activities that are increasingly managed by adults and often take place in institutional settings.
Citation
Wridt, P. J., (2004). An historical analysis of young people's use of public space, parks and playgrounds in New York City. Children, Youth and Environments, 14(1),
