For my second field note observation I visited three different parks in the Fredericksburg area: Alum Springs, Falmouth Beach front, and Kenmore Park. All three parks to me had a similar theme of recreation.
Alum Springs: This is a large park, but most of it is comprised of a bike path that stretches from across Rt. 3 to downtown Fredericksburg ending near the train station. In Alum Springs there is a nature trail that considerably busier during the fall and summer, but when I went on Sunday at 2:00 pm, it was fairly crowded with families because of the warm weather. Along with a nature trail and bike path, there is also a playground and a pavilion area that is used for party’s and barbecues. Since I live next to the park, I have seen the attendance in this area dwindle as the weather changes to colder climates.
Falmouth Waterfront: This space is almost strictly used for recreation, and from my observations only used for about 5 months out of the year. I have been going to this area since I was small, and can tell you that it has not changed at all in the last 15 years. One criticism that I have of the area is the lack of appropriate bathroom facilities, and lack of pavilion or tables. When I went on Sunday it was closed.
Kenmore Park: The space has several tennis courts and a basketball court along with a playground. I went Sunday around noon and there were around 4 families at the playground and a couple who was playing tennis. From my previous observations, the park is busiest in the Spring and Fall when temperatures are mild. I think that the park could benefit for more sitting areas for adults at the playground area, but that could be a purposeful design to keep adults engaged and watch out for the safety of children.