Community Observations - Halifax Skate Park

Being new to Halifax, I have spent a lot of time navigating the city by foot, About a week ago, late in the evening I crossed the commons, it was really cold and with the exception of a few people on the foot path, there were no people around, except for those at the local skate park. Despite the cold and the dark, there were several young guys doing what they loved to do, skateboarding. Of all the public spaces in the city, I was willing to bet that no other space was being used at that time, especially given the less than temperate conditions.

I went back the following day to speak with someone about the park. Assuming the park was built by the city, which it was, I was interested to learn that this was a space designed by a group of local skateboarders in collaboration with a firm who specializes in the design of skate parks. The design was proposed to the city for funding and approved.

Seeing a public space being used in this way, in less than favorable conditions speaks in part to the passion of those practicing their sport, but it also reinforces the potential for building successful public spaces together. There are opportunities to apply some of what has been learned here to other design opportunities with the community.

Community Observations - Public Garden

I visited the Halifax Public Garden at the end of the summer, it felt like a quaint Canadian version of le jardin du luxembourg. Of course the park space itself was a highlight, but even more apparent was the interaction of the community within the space. Old people, young people, lovers, friends, gardeners, artists, tourists, locals, all of this made for a beautiful public space. Even the graffiti was beautiful! When I read the information board that you see here I was impressed to learn that this was the oldest remaining Victorian Garden in Canada. But the graffiti tag is what I remember. It struck me as more than just an act of rebellion. Someone had considered this place when leaving their mark. A space like this garden is intended as an inclusive space in the city. Seeing a graffiti tag in this context made me wonder about the way public space represents a whole community. Can we design more inclusive public space by involving seemingly disconnected members of the community?