I have this theory of change where I believe that if teenagers have lots of opportunities for wholesome fun and are enjoying their public lives, then everything else falls into place or has already fallen into place. Daily summer bus routes to flagship parks would be a step in that direction. Add
a bit of programming for them at those parks (and way more trash cans bc honestly teens are bad at throwing their trash away responsibly when it’s not straightforward - sorry but it’s true lol) and BAM! A better society is born.
Remember when kids played in streets, schools were open and the playground was safe? Oh yeah that was the the very late 60’s 70’s and 80’s.. before the PC and cellphones ruined everything.
All the playgrounds I’ve been to in Seattle/King County are very safe but getting to them w/o a car often is not & may be a sidewalk-less journey along a 50 mph road. We need way more infrastructure that prioritizes kids’ mobility, independence, & play, rather than car speeds. Nice bike lanes/trails
and tree-lined sidewalks. More streets closed to cars and open to ppl. Outside my house, we closed off 1 block to thru traffic and turned it into a bball court and play area. Now there are like 30 kids there at literally any given moment in the summer lol