On a good day at Bowne Park, one can observe many people utilizing the park from one end to the other. Many of these people are Korean. There were Koreans jogging and walking within and around the park. Some jogged alone while others jogged in pairs. There were also Koreans sitting and chatting on the many benches facing the pond. There were occasional Korean young couples strolling through the park. However, the majority of Koreans who frequented the park were middle-aged women. After interviewing two middle-aged women who were sitting on a bench by the turtle statue and Eun Hee Park, a 47 year-old housewife, here’s what they had to say.
Ms. Park said that she was good friends with the lady sitting next to her. “Oh, we are very good church friends. We go jogging every morning to be healthy. On some evenings, we like to come here just to sit and talk. It’s nice to enjoy the fresh air and scenery – there are a lot of beautiful trees and animals out right now. We aren’t the only ones! There are many other Koreans and elderly people who enjoy the park.”
Another Korean who visits Bowne Park to jog alone everyday from 5pm to 6pm is 39 year-old Min Jee Kang. Ms. Kang, in her red and blue sweats, said that she loves “to jog around the neighborhood because it is safe.” She likes the safe demographics of the area, so she jogs alone. “The people here are very nice. There are many Koreans here. Just a few blocks towards Northern Boulevard is Flushing’s Korea Town. There are also a number of Italians here. I see a lot of old Italian women in the park often.”
Lucy Sun, a middle-aged Chinese immigrant who moved to the neighborhood 10 years ago, commented on how Koreans use the park. “I come to the park once in a while, mostly for my kids to play. I have noticed a lot of Koreans. There are many old couples sitting and walking in Bowne Park.”
