By: Noeka Nimmervoll, Staff Writer
One brutal awakening many young adults go through is the realization that leisure time is not a guaranteed part of the adult schedule. To me, it seems we are all busy with work, school, planning for the future, hoping to be happy, and filling in the gaps with entertainment. We’re told to enjoy our youth, but where are we supposed to do that? Vancouver is undoubtedly an expensive city, one where paying for rent alone can suck up half your income — a reality for 27% of renters, according to a report by LePage. With the remainder of income balanced on other living expenses such as utilities, groceries, and transportation, it leaves the wallet to wonder: where’s the budget for leisure?
Thankfully, Vancouver is ripe with 250 parks open to the public, all year round. Although the city’s parks are designed for a variety of community needs, many parks — like Queen Elizabeth, Riley, and Hastings parks — are not ideal for young adults to congregate due to their lack of shelter, child-centered playground design, and general lack of appeal. Imagine a park, a playground, an outdoor community space — a place designed with young adults at the forefront. Imagine how glorious it could be. Perhaps this new era of park development in Vancouver is the perfect opportunity for the city to design one park with young adults as the target demographic.
Enjoying activities you once loved as a child is a fulfilling and nourishing practice for any adult. Leisure time is incredibly beneficial to adults, improving creativity and problem-solving skills and promoting emotional well-being. Third places are described as spaces that aren’t living or working environments, and instead foster spending time with friends. However, many third places are businesses that place spending money at the forefront. Still, third places areimportant for bits of connection. Young adults need a hub — more than that, young adults need a fun place where problems are paused and not centred around consumption.
“Imagine, for a second, that the government invested in its youth like it invests in the status quo. What could we make happen?”
Parks are the perfect environment to play outside, at no cost. However, playgrounds are predominantly built with children ages 5–12 in mind. Adults looking for spaces to use in parks are usually limited to exercise equipment and courts for different sports if they’re lucky enough. While great for promoting physical activity and some degree of social interactions, not everyone is looking for a sports gathering. In places like Charleston Park, benches and green spaces are available for adults, but the equipment doesn’t provide protection from the rain and there’s little else that would facilitate engaging in any other activity. For young working adults, it’s frustrating to constantly feel like we are not enjoying the benefits we pay for with our taxes.
Imagine a playground for adults with a zipline, fireman’s pole, and climbing wall for adults to have their cheap thrills. A fireplace, to facilitate much-needed conversation between young people in an open and relaxed setting. A large undercover picnic area that allows you the option to venture outside in all months of Vancouver weather. An amphitheater, for local performances and art initiatives to host live outdoor shows, interactive events, and theatre like Victory Square. Places like Ambleside in West Vancouver achieve that on many points, by hosting events like the Harmony Arts Festival, weekly farmer’s markets, and having ample green space and parks for all ages to enjoy. Sθәqәlxenәm ts’exwts’áxwi7 (Rainbow Park) is another good example — in the heart of downtown on Smithe and Richards, it boasts an open walkway, lush greenery, a café plaza, and a kid’s water park. This vibrant space is exactly the type of community that can be used as a model when designing or remodeling parks suited specifically for young adults — parks that go beyond green spaces, but serve as community gathering spots.
Creating more communities for young adults, where they can socialize and host events, would provide so much wealth to the lives of young people in a tumultuous and hard-to-navigate world. It would provide opportunity for those looking for creative outlets in a community space. Imagine, for a second, that the government invested in its youth like it invests in the status quo. What could we make happen?