Since the pandemic, most of the real-world interactions previously made have gone virtual. For everything from schools to jobs to food delivery, many have devoted most of their time to social interactions via apps and social media. While connecting to the cloud is great, it could disconnect users from organic communication.
Since going mainly virtual, people have left most of the physical world abandoned, with no one to take advantage of and renew their communities. Places like the park need our attention. Here are different ways to use underutilized park space.
Create a Workspace for Remote Workers
This world is evolving fast, especially in the workplace. So many have taken work-from-home jobs to save money on commuting and spend more time with their families. Workers who stay at home have a little more leeway in where they work.
Instead of expecting workers to stay in their home offices, consider adding workspaces for remote workers. This can be an enclosed area indoors or outdoors with plenty of tables and chairs to sit at. You could even add a snack or coffee bar! These spaces give workers a break from their usual surroundings.
Make Outdoor Education Spaces
Schools are going more digital, but students can only learn so much using technology. Sometimes, they need to step out of their comfort zones and go outside to learn. Learning in physical environments significantly impacts how children perceive the learning material. For example, visiting a museum exhibit online wouldn’t give a strong connection, but seeing it in person would.
If your town has history, you should be displaying it. Everything from statues to memorials and even historical buildings can have something to offer students. These sites are unique spots to design a spectacular playground, and a play area like this can even attract more students.
Use Underutilized Areas as Pop-Up Spaces for Events
The best way to bring a community together in the real world is through events. If you have unused spaces in the park, consider making them pop-up spaces for community happenings. Parks can use these areas for festivals, high school graduation ceremonies, community cookouts, and much more.
Hosting events in empty park spaces encourages residents to step away from the virtual world and communicate with one another in real life. Encourage residents to leave the virtual world and do something outside by using one of these ideas to use vacant park spaces.
