The reason there are so many rules surrounding the area known as the Public Gardens is to protect the grounds from those who may take advantage and misuse them through plain ignorance or malicious intent. These rules should not be viewed as a personal affront or bureaucratic boondoggle. To put it in the simplest terms, the Public Gardens is not a park—it is a garden for all to enjoy in perpetuity. Its designation literally means that the space is to be treated very differently than a park.

You should not walk on the grass unless you and your children wish to examine the flora, which is permitted. Interacting with the wild ducks is not a problem. It is unwise to feed them because they become accustomed to this behaviour and will not migrate. Its beauty and atmosphere is meant to be enjoyed, but it should not be treated as a mere picnic site to use at your convenience. If you had a pristine garden at your home that you cared deeply about, I doubt that you would take very kindly to complete strangers endlessly traipsing through it and mucking about at their pleasure.

I suggest that you take some time and look into the history of the Public Gardens. The story of its genesis and raison d'être may help change your negative attitude, and teach you to teach your children that the Public Gardens is not a playground but a Victorian oasis in the middle of a modern city. It should be cherished and respected, and its mandate defended by everyone who appreciates the privilege of entering its gates.
—JZ, Historian