A photo of the weeping willows at Stewart Park (Source:VisitIthaca.com)
When I think about the time that I was most relaxed and felt at peace, was the first time that I went to Stewart Park in Ithaca, New York. Back in August of 2022, when I was completing my training for Residential Life as a Resident Assistant (RA), my staff and I decided to have our staff retreat at Stewart Park. I've only heard of the park, but never prior to that day. Initially, I expected the park to be small with a few swings and benches. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how large and expansive Stewart Park is compared to other parks that I've gone to.
My staff and I made full use of the time that we had by doing a variety of things like playing on the swings, walking my supervisor's dog, riding the carousel, and sitting on the grass as the cool August breeze blew past us. Even though the semester was starting in two weeks, and we still had a lot of floor prep to do, none of that mattered at that time. To this day I remember just sitting under one of the large weeping willows with my staff as we listened to music. I haven't gone back to the park since then, but with Spring around the corner, I think it would be the best place for a picnic with friends or family.
From left Senior Sean Coppola and Sophomore Ranjini Iyengar petting Freya at Stewart Park.
Stewart Park has not only had a positive effect on my staff and I, but the Ithaca community as well. It was announced recently that Stewart Park received $500,000, which will go towards improving the park. According to the Ithaca Voice, some of the improvements include revamping the park’s playground, creating more space for bikes and canoes and adding a new splash pad. Not only are these improvements going to make the park look better, but it will also provide more accessibility for everyone.
Overall, I’m glad that improvements will be made to Stewart Park because while the park is already great the way it is, these improvements will make the park even better and attract more people from Ithaca and beyond. I hope that I can come back to the park for another relaxing day soon. When was the last time you went to your local park? Is there a place you ever go to when you’re feeling overwhelmed?
Commentaires