Amanda Berry Smith Park. Southside OG. Paul Goldfinger photograph. Click to see the parkers.
Paul Goldfinger, Editor. Blogfinger.net. 5/8/24
This park is positioned at the intersection of 4 streets in Ocean Grove: Clark, Pennsylvania, New York and Cookman. It has been the least gorgeous park sitting at a relatively high elevation in the southern section of town. It has had no religious significance and had no events planned there in the past..
Yet people over there felt a kinship with the place newly called “Amanda Berry Smith” Park for a black preacher/ singer from the last century. Blogfinger wrote about her. Do a search.
If you came by today you would find little to admire. We saw two dog walkers chatting while their canine charges were sniffing the territory. It was quiet, and the most there is to do besides dog walking is to read both sides of the sign which the CMA installed on the park, as they sadly renamed the park once again.
Yet the neighbors have affection for this little old park who could. Despite the ambitious name change by the CMA, the park seems the same. The attraction is probably due to the open space that provides freedom when you walk through or run around after the kids.
The neighbors had formed a park cooperative group, but they hadn’t convinced the CMA to make some visible improvements. But, like the two dog walkers in the photo, maybe it’s enough to meet and greet like that. Maybe the human connection is the most important.
This situation brings to mind the “Social Capital” movement:
Suggest you view the Netflix doc. called Join or Die. or read the 2001 book called “Bowling Alone“.
Maybe that is what Ocean Grove needs to bring about changes to our piece of “small town America.” I hope the Berry Park citizen group stays together.
Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net
SHIRLEY JONES. From Carousel.