Not sure if you’ve previously seen the photo in the header image, but it was shared by a Twitter user named Myra last week. It’s taken from a Brooklyn Park where authorities decided to draw up white circles that were placed six feet apart to keep folks at a proper social distance.

It seems a little ridiculous on the surface, since people with half a brain are quite capable of doing this without guidance, which has been the case at Penn Treaty Park, near my place. Locals have been going there for two months now, sitting on the grass, and being polite and respectful, which has resulted in a grand total of zero issues that I’m aware of.

But there’s a weird wrinkle here, and maybe you’ve seen this, too –

Since Philadelphia has chained off parks and rec centers that are gated, people are instead flocking to the large green spaces that can’t physically be closed. They literally cannot lock down Penn Treaty or other big parks because there’s no fence. This results in people all congregating at the one park that remains open, instead of spreading out via the multiple parks that are currently closed.

That seems to defeat the purpose of social distance, because theoretically you’d be better served with 1,000 people using 10 different parks instead of 1,000 people all going to the same park, but I guess that’s a story for another time.

Regarding the white circles, Drexel adjunct professor Katrina Johnston-Zimmerman wrote this via a Philadelphia Inquirer op-ed published Tuesday:

…as the lockdown procedures continue into the summer, we need creative solutions to provide equitable access to crucial green space for all Philadelphians. Park circles are one of them.

Many of you may have seen the photos of crowded parks and waterfronts full of maskless patrons — largely white, despite social distancing arrests in cities around the country targeting people of color — and looked on with horror. But many of you may have also seen the viral images of the “human parking spots” in Brooklyn’s Domino Park, white rings spaced six feet apart on a wide lawn in order to provide guidance on where to relax, workout, or picnic — safely.

If you take a look at the photos, you’ll notice a striking fact: that folks are doing a remarkable job of “staying within the lines.” As an urban anthropologist who studies public spaces for a living, I can tell you with certainty that people will do whatever they’re able to if left to their own devices. Give us a wide-open space and while, yes, we may try to distance from other folks, we will inevitably fill in the space if given the opportunity (and good weather). Providing outlines in space that nudge the user toward “proper” behavior is a great way to not only indicate how close is close enough but also provide social pressure to conform.

Hmm, yeah. I don’t know. It’s not a bad idea on the surface, but we’re proposing what seems to be an answer to problem that does not yet exist. I think the white circle idea is redundant if you simply reopen parks and rec centers to provide more green space overall. Theoretically you wouldn’t have to block off designated areas to sit your ass down if you gave people the option of going to the places that have been closed for three months, and basically just disperse folks properly.

Johnston-Zimmerman also writes this later in the op-ed:

We know spending time outside is good for our health. Rather than shutting it down and banning it entirely, it’s time to recognize that with proper guidance, we can do it responsibly and ensure that our summer is safe — and maybe even fun.

…

The bottom line is, people are leaving their houses anyway. For some, it’s a necessary relief from a hot house. For children, it will be a crucial part of their need for play and safe socialization when school is out of session, and summer camps are inaccessible. For business owners, it provides an opportunity to promote picnicking with takeout meals, as physically distanced cafe seating will be limited. And for friends and family, it can provide a moment of relief from the lack of socialization that’s been going on for months.

Agree with her on all of that, and the bold part is the key takeaway there.

Here’s the thing –

The science and data may tell us to extend lock downs and restrictions, or it might not. That’s ultimately irrelevant, because numbers don’t account for the human factor, and people are so itchy and anxious that they’re going outside and gathering and doing recreational activities regardless of what Phil Murphy or Tom Wolf tell them. So governors and city officials need to just roll with that instead of pushing against a figurative dam that’s badly leaking. You can start by getting these parks and rec centers opened again, because people who live in row houses with no back yards and no front yards and going to start filling up the available green space either way.