On Friday morning, I went to walk around downtown Fort Worth with a friend, and we stumbled upon Burke Burnett Park. Neither of us knew that the park existed in the middle of downtown, so it was interesting to walk through it and immerse ourselves in the area's nature.
Burnett Park is filled with shady trees and concrete walkways intersecting in the middle. There are few flowers and no pretty bodies of water. Though it did rain just before arriving to the park which set the tones of gloomy and reflective. The park was simple, which plays into the types of people who gravitate to the park. Therefore, the primary purpose of this park is to encourage people to walk slower and enjoy the stroll down the long diagonal lanes.
The flora of the park consisted of trees and grasses. The minimal variety of flora is due to the busy nature of downtown Fort Worth. The park is dedicated to typical business workers walking on lunch breaks to grab food and fresh air. When my friend and I walked into the park, we felt a sense of calmness in the middle of downtown. I enjoy that nature can serve as an oasis from the real world. I remember Edward Abbey naming and standing by the idea that a desert, somewhere hot, dry, and unpleasant, can be viewed as paradise. The same concept can be rendered here, as people wouldn't think much of Burnett Park at first glance. Still, once you experience the park, you realize how significant and pleasant the park can be during your break.
The benches in the park consist of rocks that are smooth enough to sit on. The seats being shaped and curated like rocks gives you an extra sense of feeling like you are in nature. My friend and I sat there for some time to observe our surroundings in the park. Although this park doesn't resemble a typical one, I appreciate that the City of Fort Worth needed to incorporate a nature attraction into its busy downtown area. This is relevant to my life because everyone needs to make space in their busy day to dive into nature. This little park downtown allows people access to the heaven of nature for some time in their day. This park served as a place where I could reflect on the past week and align my weekend plans in one sitting.
However, I will say that if Abbey were to see the park I don't know if he would appreciate its placement in the middle of a crowded, hyper filled city. In his essay "Polemic: Industrial Tourism & The National Parks" I think he would despise the Developers who created Burke Burnett. Abbey talks about how Developers don't uphold The Park Service as Developers value accessibility in the notion that parks can be accessed easily by people and their modes of transportation, like automobiles, in exchange for economic gain and security while experiencing nature. For me, an average person with little to no experience in pure nature, I feel like I get that sense of outdoor recreation. While Abbey, a park ranger and highly experienced in the outdoors, would disapprove of the park and instead insist that Burnett Burke Park plays a role in the industrialization of nature areas.
To sum it all up, the park separates you from the hustle and bustle of downtown while you sit and observe. You can block out all the noise and take in the scenery. Although Abbey wouldn't have enjoyed the park like I did, I think he would approbate all those who experience the park for gratification of nature. All the trees were a beautiful green and provided so much shade that you felt protected and secure. Taking in the fresh air and being present in the moment made me realize how valuable doing nothing can be in certain instances. In this case, I felt like being stationary and enjoying the moment with my friend opened my eyes to being grateful for where I am.
Thank you for reading my blog post! Have a great day!
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