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Union Square Park
After scouring several different places between New York and New Jersey, I decided to base my project offa popular park I found in New York, a mecca for tourists. Why a park? Similar to how stores, and buildings play an important part to a town’s vitality, parks are also needed to ensure the public in a town or city have a place to share the value of public life. Parks bring economic value, health and environmental benefits, and social importance to an area; without parks there would be a lack of social component to a community (National Recreation and Park Association, n.d).An example of parks increasing economic value was seen in a Texas A&M review, where twenty of the twenty-five studies conducted found that open space and parks increased the value of neighboring properties (National Recreation and Park Association, n.d).Parks enforce health and environmental benefits by giving the public a space to exercise, and stay fit, especially in cities where buildings occupy a lot of space. The social importance a park brings to a community includes a decrease of crime and vandalism, along with a reduction of juvenile delinquency (National Recreation and Park Association, n.d).
The park I chose for assessing is located in the lower part of New York, surrounded by buildings and storefronts. Union Square Park, which has an acreage of 6.51, was opened in 1839 according to nycgovparks(n.d),Union Square is a popular destinationknown for the “…Union Square Holiday Market and a year-round Greenmarket (open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday)” (NYC Official Guide, n.d).The park is wide and spacious compared to other parks across the nation. Instead of being crowded with swings or slides, Union Square park is an open area primarily filled with seating areas and trees. Using the Security Assessment Aid, I visited and performed an examination of the park,during one of its busiest days,on Wednesday, April 17, 2019.
Background Analysis
In order to determine the most efficient security measures needed to protect Union Square Park, a background analysis is necessary to see what type of prevention is already in place. Location,population, and crime are crucial to a park’s development; therefore, reviewing these three aspects will give better insight of the security maintenance behind the park.Union Square Park is located in the lower half of New York; and is near several family friendly stores, such as Whole Foods and Staples. The stores located at the border of the park already have their own security measures, which means the border of the park is also protected; since many stores have security cameras pointing towards the outside.
The population of the Union Square, based off the 2010 Census population, is low compared to other places in New York. I created a population density map to specifically pinpoint the areas in Union Square Park that are regularly populated compared other areas. In the Union Square Population Density map the park is outlined in the black; while other nearby parts of the city are outlined in a light bright green. The population is more concentrated around the park compared to the park itself; this will help determine what types of security should be used in the location. Establishing a park in an area where there will always be a steady number of attendees helps police officers regulate the amount of patrols a security offer will need to make, or the number of police cars needed to secure the vicinity.
Crime rates are also necessary to review to see if the park is at risk for vandalism or other types of illegal activity. According to the NYC Crime map (n.d), there have been only one felony assault, four grand larcenies, and one grand larceny of a motor vehicle on the border of Union Square park. In total, Union Square park had six crimes committed in the month of March 2019. Although only the border was affected by criminal activity, the proximity between the crimes committed and the park were too close; crime activity can affect the park regardless. “Parks get reputation, just like neighborhoods and people. When the reputation is bad, it’s difficult to reverse” (Useful Community Development, n.d). In other words, parks are areas where residents and visitors in the community can feel safe; criminal activity can create an opposite effect.
Assessment
On April 17, 2019, approximately 4:33pm, I visited Union Square Park on Wednesdayduring one of its most hectic days. The weekly Green Market, open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday is when the park is most popular; which means there will be a higher level of security than usual. Separated into nine odd looking sectors, Union Square Park is not formatted in a typical park shape. From the outside the park is heavily guarded by trees, with a light colored concrete fence, to help separate the trees from the sidewalk. The concrete fence also serves as a protection barrier between the car filled street, and the park itself. A couple sections of the park is higher than the street, so visitors have to walk up a couple of stairs to reach the base of the park. A subway is located on the border of Union Square east, besides the concrete fence. The only open, wide section of the park is located at lower right part, on East 14th street. This area is mainly used by visitors who want to relax, or advocate for their organizations. The Union Square Dog Run, a short sand filled box, is placed on the outro part of the area. The multiple entrances around the park are easily accessible; and available to anyone who wants to enter from any side. Pedestrians who are disabled, however, would need to find and enter the park in a different side, since the park is not fully wheelchair accessible in all of the sides.There is a small hidden playground, named Evelyn’s Playground, on the upper area of the park, surrounded by trees. The restrooms are located in front of the playground, next to the Greenmarket.
I saw six police cars located at the border of the park, however I did not see one police officer in the car.There are three NYPD Wireless surveillance cameras in the park itself, and only one private/corporate surveillance camera. There were no surveillance cameras in the upper corners of the park. For the night time, I saw a mixed of solar panels and electric lamps used to light up the park. Lamps were placed in the bush sections away from visitors, while others were placed on the side of the street.
Overall, the park is inviting with its three statues, George Washington, Mohandas Gandhi, and Abraham Lincoln, which are scattered throughout the recreation ground. The Green Market, located on the north area, is guarded by farm trucks leaving space for individuals to walk through, especially on a crowded day.
Advantages
The reason behind the longevity of Union Square Park is the advantages the park has to attract users in the area. Physical advantages such as human surveillance, concrete fencing, and use of lights helps visitors feel safe in the park. The aesthetic advantages include its multiple functionalities, accessible entrances, and its diversity of physical features. With both physical and aesthetic attributes, Union Square Park is able to continue its viability in New York.
The most important and valuable advantage to Union Square Park is the people. “The increased presence of human observers, which territoriality brings, can lead to higher levels of natural surveillance in all areas of residential space” (Fennelly, 2017, p.58). Due to its high proximity of individuals nearby, there is always natural surveillance.In addition to the natural surveillance, the increase of visitors in the park also helps reduce isolation in the area.There is also a thick concrete barrier around the park that is useful for guiding traffic and displaying boundaries. The concrete barriers “optimi[z]e safety from additional hazards, for example keeping public and vehicles at a safe distance from debris or specific hazards…”(Safe Site Facilities, n.d).Another positive aspect of the park is the amount of street lights in the area. Post lamps are located in every necessary area in need of light. The mixture of having solar panels, and old-fashioned electric lampsis cost efficient, particularly for the residents in the area. Lights in the park “create a psychological deterrent to intrusion and… enable detection”(Fennelly, 2017, p.85).
Union Square Park has multiple functionalities to perverse the longevity and existence of the park. There is; a playground, a section for dogs, a row filled with benches, an open area for organizations, and a green market to fulfill the needs of any individual. “Ideally within a park system there is some specialization, so that each park has a specific audience, reason for being, unique facility or attraction, and therefore a built-I user base” (Useful Community Development, n.d). The gaps, and concrete fencing between the street and park helps establish a path for users to determine what is considered inside and outside. The “choice of direct and attractive routes will maximize legibility and physical accessibility” (Project for Public Spaces, n.d). The diversity of physical features in the park allows users to enjoy a visual richness of color and texture of landscapes (Project for Public Spaces, n.d). There are three statues, a fountain with fresh flowers, and natural vegetation in Union Square Park that stimulates the senses.
Improvements
Despite having all the necessary physical park essentials, Union Square Park lacks safety requirements; such as regulating the increase of larceny in the area, creating effective routes in the middle of park, and the misplacement of benches in slender pathways. Improving these minor issues in the park, will allow Union Square Park to continue flourishing for years.
Since Union Square Park is consistently filled with people, larceny is also more prone to occur. In 2018 alone there has been twenty-five reports of grand larceny being committed in the park (NYC Parks Crime Statistics, n.d).There have also been three robberies, fifteen felony assaults and five burglaries (NYC Parks Crime Statistics, n.d).The reports, released in four quarters, on the NYPD website show the statistics of crime occurring in erratic times; for instance, there was more than double the amount of grand larcenies in the 3rd quarter compared to the 2nd quarter. To minimize the amount of grand larceny in the park, the New York City Police department should spread awareness of larceny prevention. The Cambridge police website lists several tips to prevent larceny in their area, such as keeping private belongings between your feet instead of the back of your chair.
The layout of the pathways in the middle of Union Square Park poses a complication to the safety of the area. Parks must have simple, yet effective routes to discourage “…an opportunity for a potential attacker to calculate a person’s movement patter and to predict their destination” (Project for Public Spaces, n.d). Union Square Park, unfortunately, has two channelized pathways in the middle of the park preventing visitors from moving left or right; the thin routes lack circulation, since the routes are surrounded by guarded bushes and trees. In case of an emergency, visitors will be trapped in the thin pathways, due to the condensed population of the city.
Another issue with the park, is the placement of sitting benches; which are all located in the thinnest, right, side area of the park. Benches, usually used in CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) to deter, block, or protect certain entrances, were all uniformed in one thin route. The minimal space of the pathway was hindered further by the benches; which resulted in a tight walking space.
Conclusion
Union Square Park is a unique, and open recreational ground where visitors or residents can come explore the multiple activities offered in the area. The Green Market, Evelynn’s playground, and dog sand filled box indicates the diversity of the park. After the assessment was performed, on April 17, several advantages and improvements were found. Physical and aesthetic advantages include human surveillance, concrete fencing, lights, accessible entrances, multiple functionalities, and a variety of physical features. While improvements should be focused onlowering larceny in the area and creating effective routes in the middle of park; the misplacement of benches in the park is also another issue in need of refinement. Overall, Union Square Park is a safe, and clean gathering place for the public to enjoy, relax, and celebrate the world around them.
