What a good use of green space in a(somewhat) urban location. I was really impressed with the planning and integration. What am I talking about? The park is the front space of the Nashville West Shopping Center. When constructing the shopping space, the planners had the forethought(or, edict from the city) to construct a public greenspace that went along with the community, rather than ostracizing them. Plus, it has the added benefit of divide & conquer for parents of small kids. Parents can split up the shopping duties and child care. While one shops, the other can tire out the kiddo(s) on the playground. It’s really quite brilliant. I didn’t know the park was here and I thought my GPS was screwy. I’d been to the shopping center before but at night time. I hadn’t noticed the green space. Assuming it was perfunctory and not useful, I overlooked it. It wasn’t until I actually searched for it that I noticed the guitars that dot the center have more function than simple adornment. In the center, in front of the shops, there’s a fairly wide swath of green space with inviting landscaping(an odd turn or phrase for an open space; visit it and you’ll see where I’m coming from) that culminates in a playground with a spongey floor. As I am not known for hanging out at playgrounds, I kept it moving. Going under the overpass, you access a historic log cabin, bike parking, restrooms and more green space… right off the busy street. Walking up the side to the overpass/bridge, you can get some nice views of the park and the area in general. This isn’t the oasis of Percy Warner but it’s a smart use of commercial space to create a residential feel. It’s a nice surprise.
