Opinion: The Albemarle Street closure brought neighbors together. Let’s recreate the sense of safety and community on more streets.

by Joan Merle Schaefer

My block of Albemarle Street has been closed to vehicle traffic for the past 14 months. The closure has created traffic challenges for others in the neighborhood, but those of us on Albemarle have experienced a wonderful new way of living, and we don’t want to keep this to ourselves. I’m writing this to suggest we come together to make it happen.

Before the street closed, you could scarcely tell that children lived nearby. Afterward, we quickly learned there are upwards of 15 kids living on our street alone. Those of us with young kids have been able to give them the independence we enjoyed growing up, many for the first time.

On any given night, you will see young kids biking and scootering up and down the closed-off block, often until well after dark when the streetlights are on. Kids can safely walk to a neighbor’s house on their own, ring a doorbell and invite a friend out into the street to play. Packs of kids run between our yards and houses to jump on trampolines, play in a tree house, paint each other’s faces or organize a game of kickball.

“The best part of the street being closed is that I did not even know kids lived on this block and now I know all of them,” said Ellen Harrington, age 8. “We play in the street and it’s so fun.” 

It’s been fun for their parents, too. Many of us had children just before or during the pandemic, and with the ability to connect with other families taken away, we were all largely raising kids completely on our own. But now? We regularly wind up in one another’s yards or homes while fetching kids or coming by to check on them. You might also find parents having a spontaneous meal together as kids play a ballgame in the yard. We have grown to depend on each other and routinely are sharing in parenting-related tasks.

The strengthened community also benefits the older generations. We have been spending more time with our neighbors than we ever dreamed of before this closure, throwing potlucks in the street and getting to know each other over mimosas and slices of apple pie. Andy Orlin, a 40-year resident, told me the street closure is the most delightful thing that’s ever happened during his time on Albemarle street.

“I have always had friendly relations with all of my neighbors and very close friendships with some,” Orlin said. “However, the closing of the road has resulted in the street and all of its residents becoming a very close knit, lively and bustling community. Children ride their bikes on the street, play tag and run in and out of houses to meet up with their friends – an absolute joy to watch and be a part of!”

This might sound like it’s just been fun and games over here, but social support networks are important.

In his book The Anxious Generation,” Jonathan Haidt writes that young people today are replacing important socialization with screen use. But these days, in our house, we’re hearing “Can I go out and ride my bike?” instead of “Can I watch TV?”

Our kids are now navigating complex play in mixed age groups, with little supervision, coupled with lots of parental support and connection. As Haidt writes in his book, what is so important about these connections is that they are synchronous, they are in-person, and they are independently oriented by the kids themselves. So instead of signing my kids up for millions of activities and driving them around the city, I am now able to prioritize downtime in the neighborhood, where a lot of the skills they need to learn are being fostered through this kind of play.

I am so grateful for the tightly woven fabric of community we have now. We have watched this social experiment on Albemarle and experienced the impact on us as adults. We are connecting with one another almost every evening, creating community, feeding each other, and enjoying our beautiful quiet street. It’s been an incredible change for us. I never thought this was possible in our neighborhood before this experience fell in our laps. 

The street closure has infinitely improved the lives of everyone on our block, particularly those of us with young children. And this could be the reality of our entire neighborhood. No one is arguing for closed streets, but if we were to come together and advocate for serious traffic calming measures throughout the neighborhood, of which there are many to choose from and lobby for, we could all have streets that support what we have experienced here on Albemarle.

As Mr. Orlin shares, “my sadness is reduced by the fact that even when our delightful cul-de-sac comes to an end, our sense of community and friendship will continue and be lasting.”

How can we spread and create this sort of culture throughout our neighborhood? If you are interested in pursuing these sorts of visions and goals, please reach out to me: [email protected].