Our family’s ‘third’ place: parks and community garden

Shelter-in-place affects the way that we can work in our community garden

I’m taking a course in Sociology through Santa Rosa Junior College, and a recent discussion assignment asked, “Where is your ‘third’ place?”

I came across an interesting piece published by the Brookings Institution, which offers definition of a “third” place and its importance in society: “‘Third places’ is a term coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg and refers to places where people spend time between home (‘first’ place) and work (‘second’ place). They are locations where we exchange ideas, have a good time, and build relationships” (Butler, 2016).

The article outlines ways that “third” places offer important, community-building attributes, beginning with informal conversation, which it describes as the “main activity and most important linking function” (ibid).

It also relates that, for young Americans, many “third” places are now virtual. And, I think that during COVID-19, many people’s “third” places have to be virtual again.

Under normal circumstances, our local parks have served as a “third” place for my family and me. The recent order closing local parks has severely curtailed our access.

As of this writing, the Sonoma County Health Officer has issued an amended order concerning the closing of county parks. It took effect on April 29 and it allows “restricted and limited use of parks for neighborhood walking, jogging, hiking, and bicycling.” (Sonoma County Health Officer, 2020).

Parks will be reopened, but they’ll be closed to auto-traffic. Restrooms and similar public facilities in our parks will remain closed to the public.

Another important “third” place for my family has been a community garden near our apartment. About the time that the order was issued for people to shelter-in-place, we were able to lease a plot in this nearby community garden.

We’ve been putting in regular work at the community garden, and doing so has allowed us to meet other people in the community. We can socialize while we work our respective plots while still maintaining social distancing.

(The amended order concerning Sonoma County parks also contains provisions that address the use of community gardens. Six feet of social distance must be maintained, and masks must be worn to allow more than one person to work in the garden at a time while maintaining the appropriate social distancing. Gardeners must also use their own gloves, and are encouraged to use their own tools.)

Works cited for this assignment:

Butler, S.M. and Diaz, C. (2016.) “‘Third places’ as community builders,” Building Healthy Neighborhoods. Brookings Institution, Sept. 14, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2016/09/14/third-places-as-community-builders/

Sonoma County Health Officer. (2020). Order of the Health Officer No. C19-10: Amended parks closure order to prevent the spread of covid-19, allowing limited non-vehicular access to some parks, for neighborhood walking, jogging, hiking and bicycling. County of Sonoma, April 28, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
https://socoemergency.org/order-of-the-health-officer-amended-parks-closure-order/