Biking along Walker’s Creek this afternoon I was struck by how empty the park was. It’s a great way to quickly travel north-south without worrying about traffic, but I would expect it to be used by the neighbours as well. As a long, thin park it is near many houses.
I wonder if part of the problem is that most houses, and even streets, do not meet the park. Where private property touches the park there are often fences. Entrances from the street are infrequent. Is it a coincidence that the only children I saw were just south of Lakeshore where what appears to be public housing is partially open to the park and its play equipment?
(Or maybe it’s just that there are no splash pads along the trail. They seem to be very well patronized this time of year.)
