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This is my draft of the position paper that focuses on a sustainability issue we face and have experienced while moving through the neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces I live in. My goal is to raise awareness and urgency about the problem of unsafe access to green spaces, faulty railings, and overgrown bushes, which makes society unwilling to interact with green spaces that could improve overall quality of life.

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Enhancing Accessibility to Green Spaces: The Struggle for Safe Public Spaces

Allison Estudillo

ENGL 21003: Writing for the Sciences

Professor Debra Williams

March 12, 2025

Without realizing it, public spaces hold a societal role that fosters community engagement. The ability for communities to have spaces where they can improve their overall well-being and that of their peers and have a place that encourages outdoor activities is quite outstanding. Nowadays, the general public is more occupied with their phones, laptops, tablets, and any electronic device that society creates and wants. However, with that want and need, the craving for more technology slowly consumes us. Society tends to forget about the outside world; there is more to the world than devices. An area in which people can come face to face with one another, and these areas are called public spaces; a better name for it would be green spaces. New York City harbors many green spaces; some examples come from Manhattan specifically: Central Park, Battery Park, Little Island, and another well-known area, Randall’s Island. However, shouldn’t these green spaces have safe and well-kept access? Many access points, such as walkways, are becoming overlooked and unkempt in New York. Bobby Wagner Walkway is an example of this; this walkway leads to the main access point to Randall’s Island. The poorly kept walkway has unsafe railings and lacks proper infrastructure. This walkway continues to suffer from cracked pavements, overgrown bushes that hold litter that attracts vermin, and no trash can in sight; this not only creates an unappealing access point but is also hazardous; this hinders the general public from wanting to access Randall’s Island. Many argue that unkempt walkways are not a top priority for the government to genuinely care for, that other issues should be considered, that this issue is meant for community leaders and that the community should take action. Poorly maintained walkways and unsafe access to outdoor areas can make it harder for the general public to enjoy public spaces in New York, which leads to community disengagement. When public space becomes neglected and hazardous, it becomes a government problem because, once entirely neglected, it becomes underutilized and can contribute to social disconnection and decay. Investing in a small quantity of care and safer, well-maintained access areas can ensure accessibility to green spaces and help the community engage in outdoor activities. Investing can help New York’s overall environment.

References

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