Project 2 by Thomas Miksits

Beginning...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-10 16:34:54 UTC

As I walk through the entrance of the park, a wave of wind hits my face. The very first thing I see is a sign reading all the park rules. Obviously all the regular and basic laws apply, as well as the park rules for example no bikes on the basketball courts and no driving on the baseball fields. People navigate and understand them by reading and understanding the signs posted around the park and are posted online. After recognizing this, I began to walk the path...

The Layout...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-10 16:44:21 UTC

To give a brief overview of the park, it is located on the water on the south part of Long Island. The space was previously an open field until the government decided to make a park for the community, as more and more families decided to live and move into the area. The park keeps the open field concept while adding a landfill, some baseball fields, basketball, tennis, and pickle ball courts, and a nice-sized playground. Also, there is an indoor ice skating rink where hockey teams play and practice, a public pool where many people visit during the summer, and a dog park for all dogs to enjoy. The park opens with a view of the playground to the right, the courts in front, and the fields to the left along with the walking path, which is where I will be going...

The Community...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-10 16:51:23 UTC

Before I was able to make I to the path, I looked over and saw people playing basketball. While I did not take this picture myself, and these are not the people I saw playing that day, this photo is of the same court and shows how this space promotes some of the best social interactions between all types of people. When walking through the park it is impossible to not see people interacting. Whether it’s pickup basketball games, league wide baseball games, or families and friends playing on the playground, this park is the perfect representation of what a community should have. Also, being that this park recently had work done on the basketball courts, hoopers from all over Long Island and even the city come to this park even though it is generally small. After seeing a nice shot, I decided to continue...

Feeling Welcomed...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-10 17:05:21 UTC

The second thing I noticed was a baseball practice for little league. Again, I did not take this picture but it is of the same baseball field that I saw. Parents were sitting in the stands watching their kids practice. Behind me I heard kids screaming on the playground and bikes soar past me. From what I have seen in this park, I think that everyone can and should feel welcomed here. There are no restrictions on who can come to this park and the people that do come to the park are all here for the same thing, to enjoy the outdoors and connect with friends. I am not saying that their are not people who are worried that others will judge them based on race or gender, however I am saying that based on what I've seen, everyone is welcoming of each other. Passing the fields, I notice the welcome center and ice skating rink...

The Power...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-10 17:27:52 UTC

It's tough to say who really holds the power at the park. Is it the government, the park workers, or maybe even the people? In my opinion, when I walk into the ice skating rink and see a worker at the front desk who has all the information on the park details, that person is who holds the power at the moment. This is because they have to power to close the park, lock the courts, and turn off the lights, which takes away the ability to use the park. It is rare to see park rangers or police at this park because of the fact that it is a very peaceful and upstanding community. This is a photo of the ice skating rink, past it is the public pool. I began to see a somewhat empty parking lot and the last baseball field...

Hidden Costs...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-13 17:17:31 UTC

When I first saw the question about economic factors, I thought to myself that there was no way someone's economic situation would limit them at this park. That was until I saw the parking lost and thought of something. While overall access to the park is public, there are some factors that could limit access to this space, if somebody is unable to make it to the park due to not having a car or bike. There is also no public transportation close to the park besides the Long Island Rail Road. The hidden costs include the mode of transportation, if not walking, and the people equipment or sports gear that is required to play a certain sport, for example tennis rackets. The park does not offer rentals of complimentary equipment. I became confused with my own thoughts as I saw this question when walking, I guess I don't realize that living within walking distance of this park is a huge privilege. I continued on the walk and got to the halfway point of the walking path...

The People...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-13 17:27:23 UTC

I found this image online of a youth basketball clinic that was able to run its program at the park's basketball courts. From what I see as I look around the park after the lights have turned on, there are many social identities. I see a girls softball game being played and next to it a youth flag football practice and the basketball courts are filled with middle school, high school, college, and middle-aged people. Even though the park is located in a predominantly white neighborhood, people of all races are seen on the playground. Just as I jot this down, a man in a wheelchair drives by me on the path. I couldn't help but let out a smile as I began to realize that this park is more than a couple of hoops, fields, and swing sets, it's a place where everybody can go to take a break from the world and just enjoy life...

Signs of Control...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 16:46:38 UTC

There are various signs posted explaining the rules of the park, however, one sign that particularly stood out to me on my walk was the sign that had a time posted along with a statement explaining that the park lights turn off at 8:45. This may not be a super strong sense of social control but it represents how the park is in control of when the people can and cannot use the park. It started to get darker out and I started to make my way back to the entrance on a different path...

Keeping it Clean...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 16:52:05 UTC

As I look on the ground and in the fields, there is little to no pollution on the ground. Either the community is great at throwing out their garbage and the people are not lazy, or the park workers who go around picking up trash are very good at their job. I think it is a mix of both. This shows that the people care about the maintenance and quality of the park as it is important to the environment and overall appearance of the park. The park does a great job at providing several recycling bins and garbage cans around the path and park. The tidiness of the park is what brings people to it, a clean park is a beautiful park...

Personal Reflections...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 17:07:18 UTC

I grew up around this park and my family and I and our friends have all been to this park a lot. I spent a lot of my childhood here and I still go to this park a lot during the spring and summer. Based on this, my interpretation of this space is that it is a park for people of all ages, races, genders etc. I think that people make memories here, meet new people here, and overall have a great time in the outdoors here.

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 17:10:17 UTC

Some Bias...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 17:11:09 UTC

A bias that I may have is that I grew up going to this park every weekend and I have never really had a bad experience here.

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 17:12:12 UTC

Researching...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 17:14:32 UTC

Some possible methods of research one can conduct include asking questions at the offices of the park workers, looking up the history of the park online, or maybe reading a book or article on the history of this town. Also, local newspapers may give details as to the renovations of the park and the events held at the park. For this project, I looked up the history of the park and found that there have been many renovations since this park opened up.

The Local Community...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 17:15:07 UTC

The local communities influences this park by voting on certain people that make changes to the park. Also, the events like concerts and fundraisers that are held at this park are sent out in the newspapers, social media accounts, and are posted on local community boards

Walking Research...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 17:36:37 UTC

In my uptake report I go further in depth into this. The experience I had completing this project and going on this walk is something that I would like to do somewhere else again. I like how enhanced my observations skills as well as increased my level of thinking surround the overall message that the park sends to people. I will think about this walk every time I go to this park now.

Intricate Details, Uniqueness of this Park...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 17:55:55 UTC

Deeper Thoughts...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 17:57:12 UTC

Finishing Touches, Personal Thoughts...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 17:58:17 UTC

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 17:58:56 UTC

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 17:59:17 UTC

Connections...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 17:59:59 UTC

Comparisons...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 18:09:08 UTC

The website resource, Walking as Research, was very helpful in completing this project. I enjoyed how the author of that explained their experience, particularly his explaniatioms on walking in certain environments. I love how he describes that walking allows one to feel and be present in the moment, pause and close eyes, observe and think, and tap into one’s non-visual senses. I agree heavily with this as I used this idea to help answer the questions presented in the project. I really liked how he explained that while walking, researchers can acquire different perspectives of not only diverse individuals and communities but also the broader setting that they are part of keeping the environment in mind. This played a big part in my research as I observed many different people in the park.

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 18:16:24 UTC

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 18:17:14 UTC

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 18:17:45 UTC

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 18:18:21 UTC

Uptake Report...

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-17 18:23:14 UTC