Finding Your Third Space: The Park is Becoming Nature's Ultimate Third Space
A Third Space: Blydenburgh Park around the block
The bustling sounds of the city—the obnoxiously loud chatter of that couple, the ear-piercing car horns, the smells of gas, smoke, and weed. It’s all a little too much for you to handle. The homework you’ve been putting off is becoming too much, and you’ve got work in a few hours. “I'll finish it all at home and take a nap!” But in reality, you’ll fall asleep before you even open your book. Then, you remember the park exists. You went there last week with your friends for a walk, but without them, you're unsure if it’d be a nice trip. You hesitate but decide to head out instead of bed-rotting for the next few hours.
Finally parked (pun intended), you grab your backpack, take a deep breath, and plant your feet on grass for the first time—well, at least since last time you were here. You take one more breath and realize all you can hear are your inner thoughts. The leaves fall gracefully, and a gust of wind fills your lungs with air that hasn’t been filtered through an air conditioner. All you hear are the leaves rustling, your breath, and the distant footsteps of wandering deer.
You decide to settle at the bench conveniently stationed under shade with the perfect view of the geese swimming in the lake. You pull out your laptop and lock in. The stack of homework? gone. Unread emails? read and replied to. All completed in an hour. Now you can finally enjoy that “lunch” you packed.
With spring right around the corner, many people are going outdoors for a quick refresh. Mason Rivera is a park visitor who knows the ins and outs of this park like the back of his hand. He was eager to share why he holds Blydenburgh Park so close to his heart:
Top aspects that make a park viable
Free entry
endless activities
go alone or with friends
calming atmosphere
year round
The park offers many benefits while also being an easily accessible location. Parks have become community centers that help combat loneliness, encourage social interaction, and provide space for physical activities. Instead of paying monthly for a gym membership, you can visit the park for a physically and mentally stimulating adventure.
The thing about the park as a third space is that you can do anything your heart desires. There’s no entry fee, no rules—well, unreasonable rules—about what you can do. Either a leisurely stroll or a steady jog with your dog are great options. You can bring your friends and watch the sunset or have a picnic—you just have to mind the bugs!