Third Spaces and Public Life

In a piece for the Deseret News, Mariya Manzhos, explaining her own experiences with public spaces during the pandemic and early motherhood, highlights the ways that public parks and other ‘social infrastructure’ are shown to reduce social isolation and foster a sense of community. For Manzhos, easy access to local libraries, parks, and shops alleviates some of the inconveniences of cramped urban life.

According to sociologist Eric Klinenberg, social infrastructure “is especially beneficial for children, the elderly and those who are limited to move beyond the places where they live. It’s the communal gathering places that might also foster a sense of civic responsibility.” 

Also known as ‘third places,’ communal gathering places have long been touted by urbanists and sociologists as an important part of urban communities, fostering connection and interaction. “Studies have shown that just having a diversity of folks in your life … more informal and infrequent and unplanned, can be really protective for health and well-being,” says Jessica Finlay, an assistant professor in the Institute of Behavioral Science and the department of geography at the University of Colorado, Boulder.