Play all Day
What if….sad forgotten corners next to our interstates were transformed for play! All day! I get tired of all of our parks being the same old, tired metal structures. Variety I say! Israel gets all the fun…
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Interesting concept. It would be a leap for ALDOT to sign on since they have right-of-way rights.
Any chance that parts of NYC, LA, SF or Boston (major urban areas with limited space) would already have these.
I love this idea, and there’s so much that could go into those spaces (and all the empty spaces under freeways on bridges, like Red Mtn. Expressway downtown): climbing walls, mini skateboard parks, etc. But like Dan says, I doubt ALDOT would ever go for it.
I would love to somehow convince them to turn the abandoned ramp off Red Mtn. Expressway downtown into a pocket park, though. I can see the terraced seating now.
I don’t know – the noise and air pollution would make a roadside park rather unpleasant. I would love for them to be landscaped and beautiful, but they’re not really suitable for play and recreation. And I’d be afraid of crazy Alabama drivers.
Lisa–as others have stated here, ALDOT is indeed a real barrier to this happening, and some regulations would have to change. But, with the right landscaping/barrier construction, it can be amazing what you can do to muffle sound and, by creating a micro-climate, reduce the pollution. And, recreation comes in many different forms–maybe skateboarding or wall climbing in an urban area is great for some, while walking in the woods is great for others. These parks wouldn’t have to be for “everybody” in that sense.
I’d be a regular there. What a clever way to utilize space that is commonly “lost” in urban areas. Way cool. Waaaay cool.