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Building of
the park cost over $7 million in land purchases and $4 million in construction
costs. 1600 residents were evicted, 700 workers were employed and tonnes of soil moved about - rock taken out and quality topsoil brought in. It was opened to the public in stages between 1858 and 1860.
The 15-acre lawn known as the Sheep Meadow is still one of the most popular destinations in the south end of the park and a reminder of the design source and the original purpose of the park to relieve the local population from the stresses of life in an ever-expanding Metropolis. The Park Website devotes a page to this idyllic meadow, describing it as ‘ideal for relaxing, sunbathing, reading, and picnicking, as well as marvelling at the contrast between the verdant Park and the towering skyline of Manhattan.
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| Sheep Meadow Central Park with views of Midtown Manhattan skyline. Here Now Shutterstock.com |
‘Sheep Meadow and other park meadows were designed to give visitors a taste of a pastoral landscape, an idealized country landscape that was open and expansive. A flock of sheep grazed there, hence the name Sheep Meadow, and kept the grass manicured. The sheep lived in a building known as the Sheep Fold, now home to the restaurant Tavern on the Green.
According to the Central Park Conservancy, the current non-profit responsible for the park’s maintenance and preservation, an estimated 42 million people visit Central Park annually.
To understand what keeps them coming and what drove them to the cemeteries before, this post will draw on the work of 3 sociologists, One German, one American and an Australian. Their collective works span more than a century.
In his 1903 essay The Metropolis and Mental Life the German philosopher turned sociologist, Georg Simmel, observed the the following in his inimitable style:
If the unceasing external contact of numbers of persons in the city should be met by the same number of inner reactions as in the small town, in which one knows almost every person he meets and to each of whom he has a positive relationship, one would be completely atomized internally and would fall into an unthinkable mental condition.
Know the feeling?
In a scene from the 1986 action comedy Crocodile Dundee main character and bushman, Mick, greets every single person he meets on a crammed Manhattan side walk. The comic effect arises from how unsustainable we know that is. But we also like it, because surely everyone is worth at least a greeting, and here is someone prepared to risk internal atomisation to give it a go. To find out how city people draw the line in relationships we look to the work of twentieth century sociologist, Louis Wirth, a member of the Chicago School of Sociology.
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| In Crocodile Dundee Mick uses the skills he honed in the 'bush' to solve problems he faces in the city. rimfire films german lobby card / nfsa |
An urban dweller deals with many people in the course of the day such as the deli cashier and the doorman of his or her apartment building. The urbanite does not develop deep personal connections with these people but only interacts with them in terms of their roles. Personal relations become superficial and transitory.
Relating continually at this level with nothing deeper or more intimate can lead to loneliness. Wirth also notes the tendency for family members and close friends to move to far reaches of the metropolis, or even the globe, for work or socioeconomic reasons. He reminds us that relationships with work colleagues, retail staff and service providers are maintained at a distance and can't replicate close friendships. He says important relationships must be intentionally nurtured.
Out in the country, on the other hand, 'unthinkable mental conditions' can arise from too infrequent connections. Rural residents can become isolated or experience the staleness that comes from seeing too much of the same few people.
Australian registered charity ReachOut is dedicated to better mental health and wellbeing for young people. Their website has resources for rural people experiencing isolation and loneliness. They suggest pursuing an interest which is 1. Routine 2. Social and 3. Stretches you a bit. Broadly speaking these activities replicate city life in healthier doses, providing connection, challenge and predictability.
They also suggest reaching out to city based services which, due to a larger market, can be more specialised. They recommend reaching out to other young people with similar needs and interests. This final point was explored by Australian sociologist, Ken Dempsey, from La Trobe university in Melbourne. His research into rural life found that everyone knowing everyone is not enough. People need community.
The idea of community fuses two concepts; commonality and unity. Dempsey's fellow researchers at La Trobe say community requires an extra level of connection which will produce 'social solidarity...and the experience of belonging together'.
Like ReachOut, Dempsey champions the role of the special interest group to meet this need. Although the focus of these groups need not be health, such communities form a valuable safety net where individuals can look out for one another because they get to know each others' 'normal'.
Mental health service Beyond Blue draw the analogy of looking after yourself like you would a vehicle.
though we’re pretty good at keeping the family wagon running, many of us aren’t as great at looking out for ourselves. In order for us to get the best out of our minds and stay healthy, we need to pay attention to doing regular activities that help us stay healthy and connected with the people around us.
For rural men Beyond Blue's four step approach includes: 1. Knowing the signs and symptoms of mental distress 2. Looking out for yourself 3. Looking out for your mates and 4. Knowing when to take action.
Just as city people must intentionally seek out close friends, peace and quiet and organic nature, country residents must deliberately seek services and interest groups which may be distant. Their worth, however, is measured in improved wellbeing.
If left unchallenged, the disparity between lifestyles can drive city and country people apart, when their natural assets complement each other.
Open space, solitude and nature are antidotes to the stress of city life and a group visit to the country can be great for deepening relationships. On the other hand some close neighbours, an intensive course, sporting event or an array of shops within walking distance can be just what the country person needs to inject some efficiency, growth and companionship into life.
It's important to know the limitations each lifestyle can present to the human spirit. In dealing with them, if you can add some reciprocity by taking advantage of the way the regions complement each other it can support populations in another community. Thankfully an array of accommodation types proliferate in both regions.
masthead image by pixelvario / shutterstock.com
First published 2014 in Change Magazine
