Both Anderson and Frug agree that ‘right to the city’ and ability to foster change is in the hands of a city’s inhabitants. Both articles provide their own suggestions and ideas for how city dwellers can take back their cities (utilizing previously empty spaces for example, as Anderson points out). To a degree, it seems that New York City in recent years has tried revive itself and give more of itself back to its inhabitants – with projects such as the Highline, for example. Do you think New York City is doing a good job at giving the “right of the city” back to it’s citizens? As a New York City inhabitant, is there anything you would like to be done to enhance your own right to the city? And finally, who’s “right” should New York City focus on? The city has a very diverse population, with different needs and wants. Who’s “right” should New York City give in to? Students? Minority Groups? 9-5 urbanites? Can there be a happy medium?
Who’s city is it, anyway?
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I believe that New York City has many things that make it such a great place to live. In a way, all New Yorkers should feel privileged that they are living in such an amazing city. New York City definitely have the inhabitants the “right of the city.” As a current resident, I think the city is doing a good job with our right to the city. Locations such as Central Park, the Statute of Liberty and Times Square are famous tourist attractions. Even though I have lived in New York City my entire life, visiting these places definitely changed my perspective of the city. The people in New York City have a lot of say in the things that goes on in the city. I am sure that the city would not disregard what the residents want. New York City is the home of a very large and diverse crowd of people. I think the right of the city should be divided among all the residents rather than targeting a specific group. I believe that there can be balance with such a variety of people. I think that the city definitely has the things most of need. I do not thin that there is an immediate focus for enhancing te city in any way. I am content with living in such a diverse city.
I have always loved living in New York City because of its incredible diversity. Not only are there people of countless different cultures and backgrounds but these people have a profound effect on how the city has changed over time. For a long time in the 1980s and 1990s the crime rate made NYC seem uninviting to people who wanted to make or change or even to those who just wanted to enjoy a pleasant afternoon. Now that crime has diminished severely, New Yorkers were given an opportunity to tweak the identity of the city to bring it into a new age. New parks, train stations, city sponsored events and activities have opened up for New Yorkers and tourists alike. The “right of the city” belongs to everyone and as such, anyone can find something in New York City that fits their interests or gives them enjoyment. In my opinion, the city should continue to fund projects both broad and specific to expand on the diversity of the infrastructure to meet the diversity of the people.