WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA — You would not think a few wooden platforms with tables and planters could stir up much emotion. But as Walnut Creek rolls out a new round of parklets downtown, our readers have made one thing very clear: people feel very strongly about them, one way or the other.
After we asked locals on social media what they think of the new parklets being built in Walnut Creek, the comments thread quickly turned into a spirited debate about design, safety, COVID, and even whether we should be trying to look like Europe at all.
“Covid is over!!” vs “I love them”
Some readers want the parklets gone yesterday.
“Hate them! Covid is over!!” wrote Alex R. from San Ramon, summing up a sentiment a lot of people clearly share.
Dorothy H. in Hedgewood was even more blunt. She called the new streetside structures “ugly” and said they “take away from the look of the downtown.” In a follow up comment, she agreed with Alex R., adding that she “really dislike[s] them” and that the city should move on now that the emergency phase of the pandemic has passed.
Julie P. from Paddock Hills was equally direct: “I hate them!” she wrote.
Others pushed back hard on that framing. Sue E. in downtown Walnut Creek argued that “COVID is not over,” pointing to new strains and ongoing cases, and noting that many people still prefer to dine outdoors for health reasons. She also jabbed at our region’s smog, joking that we pay to live in California “to be outdoors year round” and to “enjoy[] polluted fresh air.”
Dorothy H. responded that if people want to sit in “polluted air,” they are welcome to eat outside — while she sticks to indoor tables.
Not everyone is down on the idea. Judy G. from Rossmoor said she loves the parklets, arguing that they bring “vibrancy to the city” and make Walnut Creek feel more like European destinations known for their sidewalk cafes.
That sparked a mini Europe debate of its own. Dorothy H. replied that in her view, European sidewalk cafes are “just a few tables and chairs,” not the “big… huge massive things that look like outdoor garages” that some local parklets resemble. Debbie J. from Walnut Heights disagreed, saying the outdoor setups she has seen abroad are “much bigger than a few tables” and “very lively and charming.”
Dorothy H. finally threw up her hands and wrote, “Not to mention, we’re not in Europe — if you love the outdoor parks, go to Europe.”
Design, safety and who gets a say
Some readers landed in a middle ground: not anti–outdoor dining, but worried about how it is being rolled out.
Donna P. from Cambridge Park said her biggest issue is that there is “no continuity in the design” from one parklet to the next. Because each restaurant designs its own structure, she said, “some of them look ratty and others are done very nice.” In her view, the city should have more say in how they look so the structures “add to the ambience of downtown” rather than clash with it.
She also raised a concern you hear in a lot of cities that embraced curbside dining during the pandemic: safety. Donna P. pointed to incidents in other places where cars have crashed into outdoor structures and injured diners, noting that “if it happens to you, that’s too often.” For now, she says she will stick to eating inside.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments, or email your thoughts to tom@bayareatelegraph.com
