Hayden Park served as a captivating location for a Freeze-Frame assignment.
For those who are unfamiliar with a Freeze-Frame, it entails sitting in a single spot for 15 to 20 minutes while observing one’s surroundings. With that said, at first glance, Hayden Park appears to be a typical Valley of the Sun style park. These kinds of parks usually feature grass, picnic tables, trees, and often offer sports amenities like a basketball court or soccer field, or both. Furthermore, these parks are known for their appealing environment. However, due to its location in South Phoenix, Hayden Park deviates from the standard expectations for parks.
The area surrounding Hayden Park is not typically considered pleasant. From the picnic table where I conducted my Freeze-Frame, I had a view of several unsightly sights. These included a junk yard filled with numerous old cars, a cement plant where loud trucks moved around noisy machines, and a used car lot with excessive and often obnoxious Spanish advertising. Additionally, there was a fenced-in trailer park and various other miscellaneous objects.
