The purpose of a park, said Frederick Law Olmsted, is “to provide a feeling of relief…from the cramped, confined, and controlling circumstances of the streets and of the town.” That may seem obvious to any of us used to seeking relief from city stress with a stroll in the park. But in mid-19th century America, that was a revolutionary idea.
Parks in the Old World were mostly manicured playgrounds for the rich. But a hundred and fifty years ago, Olmsted devised Central Park as a place for all New Yorkers, almost eight hundred acres in Manhattan, and then he and his heirs went on creating green space across the country. Today, other cities are fighting for a piece of Olmstead’s vision.
Guests:
Robert Garcia, director, The City Project, Center for Law in the Public Interest, Los Angeles
Tupper Thomas, administrator, Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York.