Do Good Fences Make Good Neighborhood Parks?

A Chicago city park, recently redesigned to be more welcoming, could become less so in its final form. Neighbors complaining about "really shady" park visitors are lobbying for a 6-foot fence to be included in the park's multi-million dollar revamp.

1 minute read

May 8, 2017, 12:00 PM PDT

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


park at night

The nighttime visitor to Seneca Park in this picture is a gentle creature. | Urbs in horto / Shutterstock

A small park near Chicago's Magnificent Mile, called Seneca Park, was recently redesigned by Chicago-based Site Design Group, but neighbors are complaining that the proposed design would make the park too welcoming for people they don't want hanging around their homes.

"The city aimed to make the park more inviting, in part by removing what it thought was an imposing fence surrounding the property," David Matthews writes for DNA Info. Neighbors disagreed, claiming that "really shady" visitors sometimes gather in the park in large groups and as early as 5:30 in the morning. "Parks officials tried to assuage neighbors' fears by proposing a 4-foot-tall fence around the park. But that wasn't tall enough for some people who attended the meeting," Mathews writes.

Thursday, May 4, 2017 in DNA Info

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Person on bike on small road in London with people eating at outdoor dining tables and pedestrians walking on either side.

Study: London Low-Traffic Neighborhoods See 35% Drop in Road Injuries

London’s effort to reduce speeds and limit vehicles in parts of the city are contributing to improved road safety.

30 minutes ago - Momentum Magazine

Interior of vacant/unfinished concrete open plan office building.

Dorm-Style Housing: A Solution for DC’s Vacant Office Buildings

Adapting office buildings to dorm-style housing with shared spaces is a much more affordable option than repurposing offices into apartments.

1 hour ago - Greater Greater Washington

Crosswalk in New York City with cars, bikes, and pedestrians.

Opinion: LOS has ‘No Redeeming Quality’

The commonly used Level of Service metric that grades intersections based on traffic speed rather than safety is a key contributor to dangerous roadways.

2 hours ago - Fast Company