Within the communities of Brookhaven we are in dire need of parks which at least attempt to fulfill the diverse needs of community residents, and thereby, encourage use by a broad spectrum of the community. Every park will not serve the needs of all residents. However, every community should contain at least one park which encourages encounters with different ages, races, and social economic groups. 
Such encounters help to build a sense of commonality, and tolerance. It is these opportunities to interact in what Oldenburg calls “third places” which build trust and that elusive sense of community. (Homes are first places, work places the “second,” and third places are informal gathering places, such as parks, coffee shops etc. (The Great Good Place, Oldenburg)
In order to meet the needs of communities and to forge connections those who design and fund the building of public spaces should insure that they contain the following attributes: First, they should be responsive, that is designed and operated to meet the needs of their users. And secondly, they should be democratic, that is accessible to a diversity of user groups. (Carr, Francis, Rivlin, and Stone, Public Space.)
To acquire these attributes the design of successful public spaces requires a participatory process which heavily involves the community. Most of us are all too familiar with parks that are undermaintained and underutilized. Such parks are irrelevant to the needs of the community in which they are located. To avoid additional misbegotten creations government officials need to engage in meaningful collaboration with citizen groups and designers, and such collaboration should include all aspects of a parks development and management.
Design: According to Clare Marcus and Carolyn Francis authors of People Places, the two most often cited reasons for park use are the desire to be in an attractive natural setting and human contact. To meet these needs parks must include a variety of design elements.
Elements which meet the need for an attractive natural setting include: plantings of all kinds, shrubs, trees, and flowers; water elements, either man made such as fountains, ornamental waterfalls, & pools, or natural, such as ponds, lakes and rivers; and meandering paths, and quiet niches.
Design elements which meet the need for human contact include: seating arrangements which encourage social contact, paths wide enough for two groups of pedestrians to easily pass each other; and picnic tables where families and groups can gather.
Furthermore, if we wish our parks to meet the needs of a range of age groups they should include a diversity of uses.
Tot lots - Tot lots should be located away from streets and benches should overlook the play area. Bathrooms should be easily accessible, and water both for drinking and play should be close by.
Children age six to twelve enjoy exploring natural areas especially where the topography is varied, and offers hills to run and roll down. Large, hardy, low branching trees offer adventure and fun. Play equipment should require physical exertion, and challenge, such as swinging bridges, climbing nets, etc. Children in this age group also enjoy fields for sports, and paved areas for games such as hop scotch. Water play in warm weather is also enormously attractive for these youngsters.
Teens - As every parent of teenagers knows this age group has its own unique needs and problems. Teens particularly need places that they can call their own. They also have an overwhelming need to socialize. Our community parks should, therefore, provide this group with a “hangout” area near a parking lot or entrance that allow teens to see and be seen. Seating should provide for larger groups, such as benches which seat 5 to 7 people or a setting which allows seating on several levels. Active sports such as skate boarding, roller blading, and BMX biking are also very popular with teens. Such sports can easily be accommodated in one area of a park.
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Citations:
Edited by Clare, Cooper, Marcus, and Carolyn Francis, 1998. People Places, 2nd Edition.
Design Guidelines for Urban Open Spaces, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
