New York's Central Park is one of the greatest examples of sophisticated park planning in American history. At a time in the 1850s when most of Manhattan was rural, city leaders looked to the future. They saw that the city would one day cover the whole island. They knew they had to set land aside to ensure that city residents would always be able to enjoy the open space we now have in Central Park. Planners wanted more than open land -- they sought a beautiful park that would also be extremely useful to all New York City citizens. With these goals in mind, they hired Frederick Law Olmsted, one of the finest architects of the day to design it.

Olmsted made the park a retreat. He believed city residents needed a quiet place to experience nature. He made many rules to keep sports, entertainment, and noise out of the park. At the time many people complained. They claimed Olmsted's park did not serve working people who wanted to have fun on their day off. In the years since, the rules and activities of the park have changed a lot. Now we have the chance to hear music, play sports, and enjoy other kinds of entertainment all within the park's borders. Last year, more than 30 million people visited Central Park!

What about your community? Does it need another park or square or public space? Perhaps you would like to plan one yourself, or work to get one built. This activity will offer suggestions on how to do both.

To begin, think about the answers to these important questions:

Who is going to use your park?
What are they going to use it for?
Where is your park going to be located?

What kind of public space do you want to create?
Will your park be used for sports? Or maybe you want to design a square or plaza for sitting or strolling? Perhaps a river or oceanfront walk is more what your town needs?

Is there available space in your community? Where is it located? How big is it?

You should note all of these things as you plan your park or public space. But before you begin designing it, there is one factor that is more important than all the rest: parks and open spaces are meant for the community, so you must learn what the community needs and wants.

To get a sense of your community's needs and wants, talk to people in your neighborhood! You can do this one-on-one or by holding meetings. Getting input from your community will help you brainstorm good ideas, will give you a sense of the needs of your community, and will help spread the word that you are working on planning a park! Including other members of you community also makes people feel that the future park belongs to them.

Finally, it doesn't hurt to learn from what others have done. Visit parks in your area. Make a note the things you like about them and the things you don't like.

With your own ideas -- and those of your community -- in mind, it is time to design your park or public space. Here is a list of things to consider:

GETTING THERE:

How are people going to get to your park? Drivers need parking, and bicyclists need bike racks.

ACCESS: How are people going to get in and around your park? Will there be paths for walkers, bicyclists, and skaters? And don't forget the disabled - make sure your park is accessible to them.

LANDSCAPING:

This can include trees, gardens, flowers and other living things of course, but landscaping can also involve using rocks and hills and lakes to your advantage. What about art? Do you want fountains or sculptures in your park? What style of architecture would you select for any buildings you may include in your park?

GENERAL FACILITIES:

Restrooms, trash cans, and water fountains are essential. Tables and chairs are nice. So is protection from the sun and rain, as well as lighting for park visits conducted at night.

SPORTS FACILITIES:

Will your park include softball diamonds, soccer and football fields, basketball and tennis courts, a swimming pool, or skateboarding parks?

OTHER FACILITIES:

Would you like to have concerts in the park? If so, think about including a bandshell in your design. Maybe you would like to have a snack bar or outdoor cafe as well!

RULES AND REGULATIONS:

Every public space has to have rules. You might want to set park hours, guidelines for acceptable and unacceptable activities, and noise restrictions as part of your park rules.

Now it's time to put it all together.

1. Draw a map of your park.
2. Draw pictures or describe the park in words.
3. List park rules and regulations.
4. You can make this a poster project or write it up as a report.

Maybe you want to take your park from a plan to reality. It might seem impossible, but it's not.

While it is not impossible for young people to get a park or playground built, it takes a lot of hard work and organizing. The most important thing to remember is not to try to do things alone. Gather as many people together as you can and approach those whom you asked to contribute ideas to your project. Spread the word at school or in your community. Set up an organizational meeting. Then announce it by posting flyers, publishing a notice in your school or community newspaper, making phone calls, and sending emails.

Now that you have a group together, it is time to divide up the work! Any community project -- such as building a park -- depends on three things: money, community support, and government approval. Committees should be set up to handle each of these things.

MONEY:

There are two parts to the money question. First, you have to figure out how much your park is going to cost. It is probably best to find a volunteer -- like a businessperson or architect -- who understands the costs of building a large project like a park. Second, you need to think about how to find the money to build the park. Most likely, it will come through either community contributions or government money or both. Fundraisers, like carnivals, barbecues, carwashes, etc., are useful in two ways: They raise money and they spread news about the project. Getting money from the government means talking to community leaders -- both one-on-one in their offices or at community board or city council meetings. This is where your design plan can be very helpful. Give officials a copy of your report before a council or board meeting or display posters at the meeting.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT:

Get prepared first. Memorize the reasons you think a park is needed and how your park will meet that need, then go out and spread the word. Hand out flyers on street corners or door-to-door! Get stories published in your local newspaper or on your local TV and radio station! Hold parades or rallies on the site of the future park (remember to clear all parades and rallies with local police).

WINNING GOVERNMENT APPROVAL:

Again, be prepared first. This is also where your design plan can be very helpful. Give officials a copy of your report before a council or board meeting or display posters at the meeting. Remember, government officials sometimes move slowly. They must think about everybody in the community. Be patient and persistent.