Pocket parks often mis-labelled

Rev. Linnette C. Williamson Memorial Park

While doing my research about pocket parks, I’ve realized many people confused small parks with pocket parks. A pocket park, by most definitions, is:

• located in the middle of a city
• often between two buildings or at the end of a street
• visible from the street
• often filled with trees and greenery
• set up with chairs, tables and/or benches to sit on
• reclaimed or private space set aside for public use

The original “vest pocket park” and the very first pocket park was the Rev. Linnette C. Williamson Memorial Park created in 1965 between two buildings on 128th St. It was developed as a way to add green open space to an area in the city that was in most need of public space. According to their website, two others were created on the same block later in the year. In 1967, Paley Park on 53rd St. and 5th Ave. in Midtown Manhattan was created to honor William S. Paley’s father, Samuel Paley.  It’s sister park, Greenacre Park located on 51st St. between 2nd and 3rd Ave., came along in 1971. This privately-owned public space was set aside for the enjoyment of the public.

These, my friends, are pocket parks, not the little bit of land next to a building on the outskirts of town. The others are still parks, but I don’t consider them vest pocket parks or pocket parks. If you disagree, I would love to hear your thoughts. Most of all, if you find any, please send me their locations. I am concentrating on New York City right now, but I plan on expanding once I write the most excellent and authoritative guide on pocket parks in New York City.