Peaceful City Park

The privilege of a private little spot beneath a tree in the middle of this urban sprawl is the only saving grace that our cities seem to have these days. The birds and other critters don't even notice the skyscrapers looming in the background, or the mild rumble of traffic that penetrates the dense green foliage. Good for them, you wish you could tune it all out as well. In the late 19th century, large tracts of land on the outskirts of cities were purchased by city governments to create "pleasure grounds": semi-open, charmingly landscaped areas whose primary purpose was to allow city residents, especially the workers, to relax in nature. As time passed and the urban area grew around the parks, land in these parks was used for other purposes, such as zoos, golf courses and museums. In the early 1900s, U.S. cities built neighborhood parks with swimming pools, playgrounds and civic buildings, with the intention of Americanizing the immigrant residents. In the 1950s, when money became available after World War II, new parks continued to focus on both outdoor and indoor recreation with services, such as sports leagues using their ball fields and gymnasia. These smaller parks were built in residential neighborhoods, and tried to serve all residents with programs for seniors, adults, teens and children. Green space was of secondary importance. As urban land prices climbed, new urban parks in the 1960s and after have been mainly pocket parks. These small parks provide greenery, a place to sit outdoors, and often a playground for children. This sound uses the following file from Freesound: http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=122003