Macon Magazine

60 maconmagazine.com | August/September 2025 environment to combat our country's growing loneliness and to repair our sense of community. The public realm is where we go to meet our neighbors, connect with our community, make new friends, and come together to enjoy shared prosperity and abundance. Parks and public spaces are places anyone can enjoy and relax, free of charge. From accessible community programming to amenities like sports fields, pools, and playgrounds, these spaces are critical to our quality of life – both as individuals and as a community. For many people, our fondest childhood memories are often those playing with our friends in the park, at the playground, or riding bikes through the streets. Additionally, parks and public spaces are vital components of our country's democracy. America has a rich history of political and social action in public spaces. From the March on Washington at the National Mall, to anti-nuclear marches in New York City's Central Park in the 1980s, to hundreds of Black Lives Matter protests across the county in 2020, public spaces have served as the stage for so many of our country's most transformative historic moments. Communities throughout the country intentionally disinvested in public spaces as a response to the civil rights movement in the mid-20th century. Because of those choices, we have a lot of catching up to do to restore the public realm and to make it accessible to all residents. Many of the public spaces of the past were a far cry from welcoming or accessible What other hidden histories should we examine? Email hello@maconmagazine.com to inform us. to all. The reality is that almost all public spaces like Baconsfield Park were once segregated, with city leaders intentionally excluding Black people and other people of color from enjoying them. Moving forward, our community must prioritize investing in public spaces in a way that acknowledges the realities of our past and creates a vision of shared prosperity and connection for the future. As we make critical investments in the public realm moving forward, we have a unique opportunity to establish the public sphere as a place of belonging for every resident in our community. Investing in our public realm is an investment in both our present and our future. As Macon continues its revitalization, investments in public spaces will be key to building a community where all residents can thrive. From the revitalization of Rosa Parks Square in Downtown Macon and Linear Park in Pleasant Hill, to the continued push for America's next National Park at the Ocmulgee Mounds, public spaces remain integral to Macon's future. Our public spaces should foster a sense of belonging, pride, and engagement in every resident. Accessible and welcoming parks and public spaces improve our quality of life, foster connection and community, and create a sense of belonging. As we move our community forward, investment in parks and public spaces creates a return for everyone, helping to repair the realities of our past and inspire a vision for the future. "Our community must prioritize investing in public spaces in a way that acknowledges the realities of our past and creates a vision of shared prosperity and connection for the future." ABOVE A marker that once noted Baconsfield Park mentions "benefit and enjoyment of the white women, white girls, white boys, and white children." LEFT You can find the marker on the back side of the Tubman Museum, in front of the entrance closest to the parking lot.

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