Reclaiming Public Spaces
Serving Free Meals in Our Parks
I have lived in the Willy Street neighborhood in Madison, Wis. for seven years and now I know one thing for sure: I hate condos. Unfortunately, they have sprouted up in my neighborhood, blemishing my community like some yuppie case of the chicken pox. It is not necessarily the inhabitants I have distaste for, it is the buying up of land to create housing too expensive for the locals to afford.
Over the past seven years, I have watched the landscape of my community make great changes. Property taxes have increased 18 percent; the house across the street from mine sold for high into the six digits. As people who have lived in my neighborhood for decades are forced to move out so they can afford to live, a different kind of face is slowly taking over. VW buses are being replaced with SUVs and minivans. The free health clinic closed down (its property to be sold to the highest bidder) and expensive bars and restaurants have started springing up. My friends who work at the neighborhood coffee house talk of the change from making simple coffees for chatty locals to making skinny lattes for suits in a hurry.
How soon until the coffeehouse becomes a Starbucks? How soon before I am forced to leave my home because I can no longer afford my rent? And how can we reclaim our neighborhood, protecting the public spaces that still exist and help create more?
My friend came up with an easy answer for that last question: feed the people; feed them all; and feed them for free. A gathering of individuals for one common purpose creates a community. And by making the food free, the community is accessible to anyone who desires to join.
"We all have to eat dinner anyway, so why not have it together?" he reasoned.
He decided ground zero should be Willy Street Park, since it is a small, public space in our neighborhood. His choice was brilliant; Willy Street Park has a history that is rich in community.
It was once a gas station, bought out by Taco Johns sometime in the 1970s. The neighborhood rose up in opposition and stoned Taco Johns' windows. Taco Johns' fixed the windows and returned with the intent to stay. The neighborhood responded with a vengeance, once again taking direct action. The corporate chain left, a local man bought the property, and he made it into a public park.
I wonder if Taco Johns moved into my neighborhood today, how many of my neighbors would rise up and force its removal and how many would complain in passing but put their time into yard work or washing their Volvo instead.
The first task was decided upon; a place was found. The next step was to find food. A lot of food. And free food. So, that night we drove to my favorite dumpster, over brimming with vegetables and fruits of a great variety, and sometimes, cheese, milk and eggs for the non-vegan.
It was July 4th, and the irony of going to gather dumpstered produce to feed people for free while watching the patriotic fare of fireworks got to me a little. It was wonderful watching all the people camp out in parking lots to catch a glimpse of the show, beer and kids in hand, reclaiming space for public use, even if it was just for a little time on a national holiday.
Our dumpster proved fruitful and with an overabundance we headed home, excited for the following day. I had a vision of the old folk tale Stone Soup with people in my neighborhood all coming together and cooking a giant meal with whatever was brought and feeding whomever happened to wander by. We decided that at the next community dinner, everyone who wanted to bring something, should.
The next day, my friend trucked the food down to the park along with a grill, plates and some condiments. Someone read beautiful poetry. We played games and a couple of people skateboarded. The park was filled with people, all just spending time together. One man ate a plum, the first he said he had had in 30 years, dumpster-ripe and delicious. Corn was grilled, potatoes fried and toasted-cheese sandwiches made.
The beautiful thing was that it was spontaneous. People wandered by and decided to stop what they were doing and just become part of the community around them. The success was incredible.
My friend has visions of different people cooking dinner at Willy Street Park every day of the week. Anyone helping, anyone stopping by to eat. People making music, having workshops, meeting their neighbors.
I have visions of people reclaiming public spaces everywhere. People having their weekly poker game in the mall parking lot. Women's tea occurring outside an empty warehouse. Art exhibitions being shown in the corner gas station. Community gardens growing in between rows at used car lots. Or maybe a giant community dance party at a local condominium. Regardless of our visions, I learned the ease in making a space be a community space by simply using it.