>Why Are We Still Making Unshaded Playgrounds?<p>Because the US is developed as an urbanite-hostile wasteland, devoid of third places[1], where people are kept out of the streets by design, and are goaded into existing <i>only</i> in the following locations:<p>1. Home<p>2. Work<p>3. Car<p>4. Somewhere you will be spending money - particularly, if it involves connecting with other people<p>Parks exist, but I can't recall the last time I met anyone at a park. The interactions are usually limited to "Hello" and commenting on the weather as you pass someone on a trail.<p>There are exceptions, of course. And there are shaded playgrounds too. But there's a reason most people meet their spouses online these days. The Internet has become our third place because our actual places keep us isolated.<p>NYC is on of the few exceptional American cities, but it, too, is not immune to the blight (so excellently described by N.K. Jemisin in her ode to The City[3] that only New Yorkers will fully appreciate).<p>The playgrounds follow the overall trend.<p>[1] <a href="https://esl.uchicago.edu/2023/11/01/third-places-what-are-they-and-why-are-they-important-to-american-culture/" rel="nofollow">https://esl.uchicago.edu/2023/11/01/third-places-what-are-th...</a><p>[2] <a href="https://www.theknot.com/content/online-dating-most-popular-way-to-meet-spouse" rel="nofollow">https://www.theknot.com/content/online-dating-most-popular-w...</a><p>[3] <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_City_We_Became" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_City_We_Became</a>