I Want My Yard
When talking with people about Celebration, Florida, the New Urban town where I work, they commonly state their disapproval of small yards. For me, convincing them to rethink their love for their dear tracts of sod is not extremely challenging.
Owning a large yard in America seems to be a major component of the American Dream. A large yard is comparable in many ways to owning a “super big gulp” SUV. We as Americans want all the options, and we are gladly willing to pay for features we rarely use.
When is the last time you saw your co-worker’s Cadillac Escalade covered in mud? Likewise, when was the last time you saw your neighbor playing volleyball, or any sport for that matter, in their over-sized yard?
Let’s look closer at a couple of generalizations and characteristics about typical communities that contain over-sized yards. First, these communities, which typically consist of impersonal snout houses (protruding garages), are on the out skirts of suburbia and require a long congested commute to work. Secondly, the most common activity in a suburban yard is lawn care.
Well, how do so many people function in New Urban communities without their “American Dream” yards? Life must be really tough for small yard owners.
New Urban homeowners have yards that can be maintained in a manner of minutes, and they can often walk a block or two to a beautifully manicured public space to throw Frisbee, play ball, or have a picnic. By utilizing public green space for outdoor activities, New Urban residents have an opportunity to interact with neighbors and enjoy some of the best places in the country for recreation and relaxation.
To understand the concept and benefits of common green spaces, we must set aside the ingrained desired attributes, which actually are inefficiencies of our parent’s homes. I often view the large suburban yards as sad places of desolation. In comparison, the social and active grassy knolls of New Urban communities inspire our minds, support our health, and increase our relaxation. Feb.08.2006.
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