To the editor,
When I return home from travelling, I find myself feeling
bittersweet. The usual shift from adventure to work, routines, bills,
blah. This time seemed different—I came home from a vacation in
Amsterdam to a sunny day in Halifax. People were on the streets, shops
had their doors open, bodies were actually sitting in our public
spaces! Sunny days in Halifax make me feel like I am somewhere
extraordinary. Who wouldn’t want to be part of this culture?
While in Europe, I spent much time drinking wine and relaxing in
parks, for having a drink in public is not a criminal offence, but a
casual, respectful norm. Keeping with this routine, I visited the
Public Gardens (sans wine, of course), sitting near the pond (on the
grass) with my sketch book open. Less than five minutes passed when a
park official drove by (In a park! Drove! A smelly, noisy vehicle!) and
told me to get off the grass.
I wanted to ask why, but I know this is policy. But still, why? I
would be much happier in my city if people had the freedom to sit in a
park on the grass and let worries of the day melt away. I continued to
the Common to the fountain. Just like the fountain in Victoria Park, it
is surrounded by a tall steel fence and high voltage signs.
Can Halifax not provide a park with grass that can handle a seated
bum, and a water feature that does not risk electrical shock?
What messages are we sending our residents and visitors? “Come see
beautiful Halifax! Visit our parks…but don’t think for a second that
you can sit on our grass and, for your own safety, stay away from the
fountains!”
I’m already missing Amsterdam, where being on the grass is the
norm.
—Rachel Derrah, Halifax
This article appears in Jun 18-24, 2009.
There are lots of places to sit on the grass in Halifax but the public gardens isn’t one of them, except for the area with the benches by the SGR/Summer St corner. But there is Citadel Hill, the Common, and Victoria park, all very close by. There are also lots of benches in the public gardens where you can sit and enjoy the water features.
The reason for not being allowed on the grass, as I understand it, is that a nice lawn is part of showcasing the other flowers and plants in the gardens. People sitting/playing/walking on the grass all day will quickly lead to horrible looking grass.
HRM has many, MANY ASININE rules & bylaws.
people need to show some courage and DEFY stupid fucking rules!
just because something is ‘the law’ does NOT mean it is right or fair.
don’t be like sheep, people… BREAK THE RULES, especially the STUPID ones! that’s how dumb & oppressive laws get changed.
hey lawn sitter,
your amsterdam experience reminds me of my few years living montreal… people, young & old alike, would frequently gather and hang-out in public places, like parks, mont royal, street festivals, etc and enjoy a drink (people often brought a bottle of wine to share) and/or smoke a joint with their friends, which was especially fun during montreal’s warm summer nights. and the cops didn’t bother us (or anyone else)… you know why? because the cops had better things to do with their time (like solve actual crimes and not harrass citizens) – and we, like everyone there, were behaving like responsible adults, just having a drink/smoke with some friends in a public park… no big deal. it was all very cool and civilized. and we packed up our trash when we left.
so, with surprisingly few exceptions, everyone was civilized and behaved responsibly (NOT stupid/drunk/obnoxious/violent/etc). i found these public gatherings to be refreshing and quite liberating, and i really looked forward to them. good memories.
but Halifax, that’s another matter… i guess Haligonians are simply not mature enough for that kind of freedom, especially given the oppressive & paternalistic twats who’ve been running this city (into the ground) for way too many years.