What do a Park, a Snowmobile, and an Activity Center Have in Common? The Answer May Surprise You.

Imagine a scenario where you are miles from the nearest road, the sun is beginning to set, and your only ride home is a stuck snowmobile. Who or what could have led to this debacle (aside from bad judgment)? The possible answer is an obscure city planning term: a neighborhood activity center.

What exactly is an "activity center"?

Think of it as any place you go when you’re not at home. These centers can vary in size and purpose, ranging from a neighborhood-scale establishment like a park or coffee shop, to larger regional or even international venues like Disney World. Some common local examples of activity centers include:

• Parks, open spaces, places of worship, and public spaces like Festival Plaza in Old Town
• Stores and restaurants
• Job centers, from offices to the medical complex
• Institutional places like schools and City Hall

However, there are other places that may not officially be considered activity centers but still serve the role of bringing people together. Maybe it’s an intersection with a small grassy field. Perhaps it’s a park or even an alley where neighborhood kids play. We’re interested in learning more about these places here in Lafayette.

How a neighborhood park led to a stuck snowmobile

Our family frequently visits a neighborhood park affectionately known as the “castle park”. It’s a small, typical park that is rarely crowded. One day while at the park I noticed another dad with children about the same age as ours. We struck up a conversation and ended up exchanging contact information with the intention of grabbing lunch sometime. This dad had similar interactions with a handful of other dads and proposed that we all meet up – sort of a “blind playdate”. We met for burgers and fries one Friday evening and agreed that we should continue meeting.

Over the past year, we have been meeting each month at different restaurants, and our group has steadily grown. The most recent addition to our castle park crew is an immigrant from Russia who lived a mere 45 minutes from the current war. As a result, our June 2023 gathering involved a crash course in Russian translations and some surprising cultural comparisons (apparently, fried pickles are not a thing in Russia.)

One dad suggested that we take our group to the next level by planning a kid-free, all-dad snowmobiling weekend. We turned that dream into a reality this past winter and it turned out to be quite the adventure (and yes, we eventually got the snowmobile unstuck!)

That initial interaction at the park created a ripple effect, connecting neighbors who might not have otherwise met. I don’t know how this would have happened without a walkable and convenient place for people to meet and interact, like a small, unassuming park.

Our ask: Tell us about your activity center

We’d like to know about your activity centers. Whether it’s a local park, community center, intersection, or shopping area, mark it on the map (see tab to the right). This information will be helpful as we begin crafting land use regulations, especially those related to these public spaces.