\u201cIt\u2019s our fucking park,\u201d yelled 1988 protestors of gentrification and the evacuation of the homeless in Tompkins Square Park. [1] These protesters felt ownership and claim over a public space that was being taken from them. Their reasons for occupying the park were rooted in issues of homelessness, eviction and gentrification \u2013 \u201cthe city shelter system had beds for only a quarter of the city\u2019s homeless people.\u201d [1] Thus the notion of restricting access to this communal sanctuary caused unspeakable anger. C. Carr, a New York City cultural historian writing on the riot, points to the roots of the tension: \u201cAs the neighborhood slowly, inexorably gentrifies, the park is a holdout, the place for one last metaphorical stand.\u201d [1] In light of homelessness, eviction, and gentrification \u2013 problems plaguing Portland today \u2013 public space becomes especially important as essential locales of (ideally) \u201ccommunity, openness, and optimism,\u201d (Low). [2]<\/p>\n
As of 2013, there were beds for about half of Portland\u2019s homeless people. [3] As evidenced by our visit to Congress Square Park and the decidedly dreary Lincoln Park, its public spaces could use improvement as well. One fairly simple improvement, endorsed by urban sociologist William Whyte, is seating. \u00a0Height, width, style and placement of benches, as shown in Whyte\u2019s video The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces<\/em>, hugely impacts how citizens interact in and with public space. [4] Attractive and comfortable seating options draw people in and encourage them to immerse themselves in the space.<\/p>\n For people to do so, qualities of interactivity, attractiveness and comfort are essential. New York City\u2019s Union Square is so inviting and engaging because of its abundance of charismatic features \u2013 chess games, a farmers market, playgrounds, performances \u2013 and its diversity of occupants. Portland\u2019s public space, Congress Square Park and Lincoln Park in particular, needs more to look at and engage with in order for it to become a place of \u201cencounter and exchange,\u201d [5]. Congress Square Park would hugely benefit from artwork on the blank wall behind it, better lighting and additional features, perhaps a fountain or sculpture. A swingset, improved benches and some hedges have the potential to revitalize Lincoln Park. Free public wifi would make these productive and egalitarian spaces, more conducive to the exchange of ideas and work among citizens of all backgrounds.<\/p>\n Additionally, sponsored events in these locations, such as festivals, concerts, fairs, farmers markets and other gatherings \u2013 perhaps through a public-private partnership \u2013 would bring the community together and establish those spaces as centers of engagement. However, in bettering these public spaces and inviting Portland citizens to gather in them, it is essential to be wary of \u201c[limiting] participation to those who can afford it and conform to middle class rules of appearance and conduct.\u201d [2]. Don Mitchell notes that \u201cin the city, different people with different projects must necessarily struggle with one another over the shape of the city, the terms of access to the public realm, and even the rights of citizenship.\u201d [5]The public realm must be an arena in which this urban dialogue can unfold.<\/p>\n [1]\u00a0Smith, Neil. The new urban frontier: gentrification and the revanchist city<\/i>. London: Routledge, 1996.<\/p>\n [2] Low, Setha.\u00a0After the World Trade Center<\/i>. New York : Routledge, 2002.<\/p>\n [3]\u00a0Billings, Randy. \u201cHomelessness Hits Record High in Portland.\u201d Portland Press Herald. http:\/\/www.pressherald.com\/2013\/10\/27\/homelessness_hits_record_high_in_portland_\/<\/p>\n [4] \u00a0Whyte, William.\u00a0The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces<\/i>. New York: Project for Public Spaces Inc, 2001.<\/p>\n [5]\u00a0Mitchell, Don. 2014 [2003]. \u201cTo Go Again to Hyde Park: Public Space, Rights and Social Justice.\u201d In\u00a0The People, Place and Space Reader<\/em>, edited by Jen Jack Gieseking, et al. New York: Routledge, 2014<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cIt\u2019s our fucking park,\u201d yelled 1988 protestors of gentrification and the evacuation of the homeless in Tompkins Square Park. [1] These protesters felt ownership and claim over a public space that was being taken from them. Their reasons for occupying the park were rooted in issues of homelessness, eviction and gentrification \u2013 \u201cthe city shelter … Continue reading Creating Engaging and Inclusive Space in Portland<\/span>