Jessie Davis Park re-defines the perception of what some may call the “hood.”

     
Jessie Davis Park is a well-known park in Douglasville even though it is not located in one of the prominent areas.  This park has a basketball gym and football field; where the majority of local youth participate in recreational athletics.  There are also three basketball courts located outside of the gym along with a pool, swing set, and playground. Also there are two areas of the park where you can congregate with friends and family to have a picnic or simply sit and converse.                                                                                                               

I discovered all of this information on Monday, March 10, 2014. I sat at one of the tables under the gazebo that was closer to the basketball courts and playgrounds. While I observed the activity of the park; a vibrant calmness was in the air. Children were running around the playgrounds and swinging on the swing sets, teenagers and grown men were playing basketball on each of the courts, small families were walking along the paved trail together along with other individuals who jogged. On the basketball courts games were intense but there was no sense of hostility coming from anyone; just laughter and jokes if someone got exposed during a play as far as getting scored on or crossed. Some teenagers who did not participate in playing basketball sat on the benches beside the court. On the playground the children were playing on the monkey bars, sliding down the slides, and playing endless games of tag. On the paved trail there were some single mothers pushing their babies in strollers, men and women were jogging or walking, and some couples were walking with their kids whom seem to be filled with joy. This experience allowed me to fully understand why a lot of people enjoy going to Jessie Davis despite it’s location.

 This park is another realm compared to what is behind it.  There are a lot of drug dealers and x-cons that live near the park, and some of them even go to the park to escape from the typical hood temptations that may get them into trouble. The cultural significance is self-explanatory because this park is used as an instrument of “escape” for everyone that lives around it. The parks extravagance emphasizes the value to the people that live directly behind it, because the park does not reflect its location’s image at all. The park is well respected by people that do not live in the area as well because of how beautiful it is. The fact that Jessie Davis attracts people that do not reside near the  park;  to come to the rough side of town  demonstrates the ironic perception it gives.  Jessie Davis is more appealing and enjoyable for people who like to play basketball  because you have the option to play inside and outside.  Unlike the other parks that Douglasville has to offer , Jessie Davis caters to the youth and the setting of the park shows that despite it’s location.