DONIGIAN PARK

PARK PERCEPTIONS - Understanding the Interview Results

Almost 70% of the respondents were of Latino heritage, reflecting the
high proportion of Latinos in the Olneyville community. One of the
most immediately noticeable things from the interviews and spending
time at the park, was the high number of different types of recreational
activities that the park is used for. The diversity of these uses surpassed
that in any of the other case study parks. People seemed to be utilizing all
of the various facilities, as well as engaging in more unique activities such as flying kites or climbing trees. Five of the 15 interviewees mentioned crime and safety concerns before the questions on these topics were asked. Of the park aspects that were disliked, trash was the most common, followed by various nuisance and criminal behaviors ranging from drug use, to the presence of drunks, to noise.

About half of the respondents stated that they felt safe in the park, while the other half also said that they felt safe, but immediately attached conditions to these feelings of safety - they would only feel truly comfortable in certain situations. Only 1 person asserted their opinion that the park was generally not a safe place, and that they were wary of their security while there. 100% of interviewees would visit the park by themselves, while a mere 11% would go there at night. This unwillingness to use the park at night is much lower than any of the other case study parks, and doesn't seem to coincide with the generally moderate feelings regarding the area's safety.

The fact that two thirds of respondents felt that criminal activities were occurring in the park might explain some of this reluctance to visit the park at night.

Only one respondent gave a comprehensive answer to the question on what types of factors might improve some of the negative behavior at Donigian. He stated that something had to be done about the problem houses nearby - they were responsible for much of the drug-related activity, and that general improvements in the park would have to come from increased community involvement and a greater commitment on the part of the police.

80% of interviewees perceived an improvement in the park from the past. Several people noted this explicitly, stating that the park used to be a dangerous eyesore, and was now significantly enhanced

Park Crime - Understanding the Context of Crime