Nearly two years after its opening, there are mixed feelings over whether or not the Civic Space Park has been a success, but many agree that more visitors would help the park fulfill its role as a spot for community gathering. (Stephanie Snyder/DD)
A few students linger by the fountains as the sun sets. Others march through the urban park on their way to the light rail without stopping for a second glance, and a dance organization practices on the main stage. A few clusters of people sit around silver tables, and some transients mill about. And the “Her Secret is Patience” art piece hangs prominently overhead.
Nearly two years after its opening, there are mixed feelings over whether or not the Civic Space Park has been a success, but many agree that more visitors would help the park fulfill its role as a spot for community gathering.
The park, which is across the street from the Downtown campus and sits on nearly three acres, opened in April 2009. It offers a pasture for students to hang out in but is also uninviting due to safety concerns and a lack of visitors.
Students said the park has provided them with a scenic background to practice videography, a spot to drink coffee with a friend, fields to throw and catch Frisbees on and much else.
Edward Jensen, an urban and metropolitan studies senior, said he regularly enjoys coming to the park on sunny days.
“A couple times a couple friends and I have decided we’re going to grab a blanket and have a picnic here,” he said.
Jensen said he thinks Civic Space has lived up to expectations and will continue to get better.
“As more and more people use the space for their events, that positive word-of-mouth advertising will work and more people will use the space,” he said.
The park, which is run by a coalition including the City of Phoenix, ASU’s College of Public Programs, the Downtown Phoenix Partnership and the Lincoln Family Downtown YMCA, has worked alongside other local projects to revitalize downtown, said David Roderique, president of the Downtown Phoenix Partnership.
“Having a wonderful amenity like that for the people down here is again part of that whole rebirth of downtown,” he said.
But Civic Space, which cost $34 million and was funded primarily by 2006 Parks and Historic Preservation bonds as well as the Phoenix Parks and Preserve Initiative, could still continue to improve, Roderique said. The park would benefit from regularly having the type of turnout it does on days with events or nice spring afternoons.
“The biggest thing is just having it active,” he said. “So more events, more activities, more things going on will continue to help.”
One of the major reasons some people don’t visit the park as much as those responsible for it would like is safety concerns.
Jessica Gomez, a criminal justice sophomore, said she used to visit Civic Space on a daily basis, but she now tries to avoid the park after she was approached by a man who she believes may have been on drugs and who solicited her for sex.
“There are still safety issues despite seeing a security guard walking around,” she said. “It needs more safety procedures.”
Though there are three police forces that patrol the area, other students also mentioned instances of insecurity at the park that have driven them away including feeling that the park is not well lit, feeling unsafe around homeless people at the park and not feeling secure simply due to the park’s lack of visitors.
David Urbinato, a public information officer for City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation, said that having more regular park visitors would increase the sense of safety at Civic Space.
“When you populate a park, when there are more people who move to an area and become regular users of the park you see a lot of worries and the safety issues kind of recede,” he said. “It kind of comes full cycle because as people feel safe, they use the park more often.”
But Urbinato said the park is still very new, adding that it is going to expand in the coming year and that it sits square in the middle of all the changes going on in downtown Phoenix.
“A year is a really short period in the life of a park,” Urbinato said. “The park really is very much in its infancy.”
Contact the reporter at vpelham@asu.edu
I really like Civic Space park, it’s a beautiful place. I really do make an effort to take my homework out there sometimes and study. But I also sometimes feel incredibly guilty when I take my food over there because I am eating in front of so many homeless people. It makes me feel awkward and selfish. I sometimes share but I get hungry and want to eat my food! But I also feel like I can learn something from the homeless people there, even if they make me a bit uncomfortable. They are just as much a part of the downtown community.
Victoria, thank you for the coverage of the Downtown Civic Space Park. As noted, by David Urbinato, the more a space is populated or activated, in this case the park the more feelings of security typically increase. So, all, please come out to the park and enjoy! It is our Phoenix and our Park!
@Harmony, I concur with your statement that there is a lot to learn from our neighbors, in all their diversity, as you said “they (the homeless) are just as much a part of the downtown community.”
I look forward to how we all discern how to work across sectors and communities to build positive relationships in such a beautiful, central and accessible space.
This Friday night, there is an amazing poetry, live art and dj event happening at the park for FREE! Come out and ENJOY! Visit their them at:
http://www.facebook.com/civicspace
One must remember where the Civic Space Park as well as the Downtown Phoenix campus are – in downtown Phoenix. With walking around in all urban environments, just be safe and be aware of your surroundings. When you’re walking around, consider traveling in groups. Both the Downtown Phoenix Ambassadors and ASU Police provide safety escorts – ASU Police are right off the elevators on the 1st floor of UCENT. Or don’t walk around with your iPod playing music at full volume. Just be smart and be aware.
The issue with Civic Space Park is the same as with the former Patriots Sqaure Park, now CityScape. Without an active program of activities on a daily basis, the area will secede to those who’d rather have no one to bother them or be bothered by them,i.e. homeless and mentally ill.
The park is not ASU’s park, it is not the ASU Commons or the Tempe campus fountain. It’s an urban park and homeless and mentally ill have as much right to the park as anyone else. No one has the right to threaten or intimidate(or solicit for sex!)anyone, but you can’t enforce country club rules on an urban park, either. The more it gets activated, the less issues people will have BUT it shouldn’t mean it’s gonna be students and urbanistas only.
The homeless have several facilities for getting meals, including CASS,Andre House etc. Eat your meals without guilt, and don’t believe any pan-handling stories. Get street smart. Tell your friends back home that you’re living and going to school in a city. Any school in an urban center is the same,and actually ASU Downtown is pretty much way more secured than anyone off the campus area would really experience.
I am so thankful to have a clean, bright park downtown with numerous free events and cultural activities. Yoga classes in the park are my favorite and I completely feel safe there. I hope we continue to build functional green spaces not only where we live but where we work, play, and live. Thank you to all who sponsor activities and events in our beloved park!
An urban park needs urban energy. Hailing from Chicago, I remember how connected to my fellow “city-zens” I felt when heading down to Millenium Park for time on the grass, amidst the crowd, listening to impromptu music and planned events. I see that happening slowly with Civic Space, and encourage more people to come out and enjoy the lovely weather, energy and urban space so unique to our Phoenix winter. We live in an urban paradise. Let’s enjoy it.
I second Allison’s display of gratitude. The Civic Space park is honestly the only part of Phoenix that feels like a ‘hub’ of the city. I’ve seen it grow as people gather to meet there, like a miniature Central Park. Every city needs one, but it takes work, it takes collaboration, it takes building – and they will come. Thank you to everyone who challenges the status quo of staying at home or in the common places. This is where life happens, cities grow and evolve and people thrive together.
I have been able to go to a few things at the park with my family and have loved it every time. I encourage everyone to enjoy the space. Thank you to all who make it possible
I had the amazing opportunity to have my dance team perform at the Civic Space Center during the International Day of Peace last year. It was an amazing sight to see everyone get together and dance in the spirit of peace and unity. The space is beautiful and well kept as well. It is an amazing place to have in our community to use for the arts and also for other community activities.
It’s a beautiful venue. It’s been successfully used and has a lot of potential for future events. I like that it’s downtown, it’s centrally located. It has beautiful landscaping. As a musician, I have had great experiences playing there. During events, you can meet a lot of community members and artists.
My 9-year-old says, “the fun thing is you have a fun place to run with your sisters and brothers or anything. There’s a water thing where the younger kids always play and it’s fun.” Also, for those who don’t know, the water feature spells P-H-O-E-N-I-X as it cycles through.
In response to safety concerns, watch your step around the water fountains and utilize handrails with descending the staircases. It’s a great community park, it should be used, by everyone…including YOU (and the people you’re scared of)!
As David Urbinato stated, it’s an important goal to populate and activate the park. Not only to provide a more “safe” feeling environment, but to leverage the park as a place for the surrounding communities to enjoy, utilize and be proud of! Just last weekend I witnessed in the park: cheerleaders practicing stunts, photographers shooting models, and a freestyle drumming group jamming–all in the same day! It’s been amazing to witness the various and diverse organizations, businesses and community members collaborate on events that aim to be inclusive, family-friendly and fun! Civic Space Park and even Phoenix are comparatively young when posed against other renowned national parks and major cities, but I personally believe that is what makes it exciting. We all have the opportunity to not only watch our environment positively change, but be an integral part of that change!
Civic Space Park is one of my favorite spots in Downtown!
If the park is so “unsafe” why are there so many girls laying out in it in their bikinis. I think no matter how much attention they want, I’m positive they wouldn’t be out there if it was “unsafe”.
The only legitimate time you can say the park is “unsafe” to be in, is about 3:00 AM* – just like EVERYWHERE else it is “unsafe” to be at that time of night.
*BTW, they have security that patrols the park at night.
Civic Space Park is one of my favorite parks in Phoenix!
My first memory of a feeling of Community in a Public Space in Phoenix was at this very Park, at a Civic Space Jam about a year ago.
The young, the old, the rich, the poor, children, families, DJ’s artists, activities for kids, and all happening for free and in unison, what a dream come true…
This park and space has inspired me to work on creating more events like the Civic Space Jam at this park, and I have been blessed to have the community participate!
Let’s continue to empower our public spaces so that parks like Civic Space can continue nurturing and bringing the community together!!
I love Civic Space Park!!
I really enojoy going to all the ASU event thrown at civic space park. They are free and i have met some amazing people. We have a great and productive time. It has helped the local artists and young students make a name for themselves within the community. I say lets continue to use this space for good community work, inspiration, and unity. I love civic space park!!!!!