Child-friendly Sydney
While it's good to see Sydney City Council making an effort to turn Cook+Phillip Park into a vibrant and attractive urban space, the
derision of skateboarders as unwelcome nuisances is disappointing. Many people seem to forget that some of the thousands of residents living in and around the CBD are children, and like all children, they need spaces to play in. Nearly all of the urban form in the CBD is designed exclusively for adult activities such as working and entertainment. Lacking dedicated spaces to play in, children make use of open areas like Martin Place and Cook+Phillip Park for skateboarding. Can kids be blamed for wanting to play? Skate parks at Waterloo and Alexandria sound like a good idea, but how are kids living in the CBD itself meant to get over there? Improvements to Sydney's design are welcome, but it must not be forgotten that designing a child-friendly city makes it a better place for everyone.
derision of skateboarders as unwelcome nuisances is disappointing. Many people seem to forget that some of the thousands of residents living in and around the CBD are children, and like all children, they need spaces to play in. Nearly all of the urban form in the CBD is designed exclusively for adult activities such as working and entertainment. Lacking dedicated spaces to play in, children make use of open areas like Martin Place and Cook+Phillip Park for skateboarding. Can kids be blamed for wanting to play? Skate parks at Waterloo and Alexandria sound like a good idea, but how are kids living in the CBD itself meant to get over there? Improvements to Sydney's design are welcome, but it must not be forgotten that designing a child-friendly city makes it a better place for everyone.