In the hot haze of mid-July, a father-daughter duo headed over to their neighborhood park where a built-in ground sprinkler gushed cool water as part of a citywide “Cool Sweep.”
Rochester Mayor Malik Evans issued the sweep for Wednesday because temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit and high humidity were in the forecast.
The declaration meant that water sprinklers and splash zones were turned on at some city playgrounds and parks – including Troup Street Park near the Corn Hill neighborhood.
Here, father Niko Owens looked after his3-year-old daughter as she ran about the playground and jumped in the path of splashing water from the sole sprinkler on site.
“I’m from this neighborhood,” Owens said. “Whatever I can get and whatever my daughter enjoys is what I’m happy with. But I do want different things. But you can only do so much, what you have access to. I just want water parks like they got everywhere else.”
Troup Street Park is one of three sites with spray features listed in the city’s Cool Sweep advisory. The city’s seven spray parks at recreation centers were also included in the cool sweep, like Edgerton R-Center near Jefferson Middle School.
“Now that’s a water park I want in this area right here. I think that they should give that to all the kids in different neighborhoods. I think it should be equal,” Owens said. “You get what you get, but you’ve got to appreciate what you have because you’ve got to be glad you have something.”
A full transcript of a radio broadcast story follows.
( Child yelling in background )
NIKO OWENS: Boo Boo, get down!
( Child shouts in background )
N. OWENS: My name is Niko Owens. We’re at the park.
EVANS: What brought you out?
N. OWENS: We come here all the time. She loves the park. (To daughter) What’s your name?
A’MYLA OWENS: A’Myla.
EVANS: How old are you?
A. OWENS: Three.
EVANS: Three years old?
A. OWENS: Uh huh.
EVANS: I’m hearing some splashing, what’s that?
A. OWENS: That’s the water!
EVANS: Water? Have you been playing in it?
A. OWENS: Yeah. Let me show you.
EVANS: Alright.
A. OWENS: C’mon let’s jump in the puddle.
EVANS: We’re going to jump in the puddle? Okay.
N. OWENS: (Laughs) I can’t believe you’re jumping in the puddle with her.
( Splashing )
N. OWENS: I’m from this neighborhood so it’s like you know, whatever I can get and whatever my daughter enjoys is what I’m happy with. But I do want different things, but you can only do so much, what you have access to. I just want water parks like they got everywhere else.
EVANS: Where you’ve got more sprinklers going?
N. OWENS: Yeah. Like Jefferson Middle School? Now that’s a water park I want in this area right here. I think that they should give that to all the kids in different neighborhoods. I think it should be equal.
EVANS: How would you describe this neighborhood?
N. OWENS: Difficult. Because every time when situations happen in this neighborhood you call for authorities and they show up six hours later, if not the next day. It don’t matter what it is. It could be robbery or anything. You know, my house got shot and the cops didn’t come to the house ‘til three hours later.
EVANS: Mmm. So, it sounds like that neglect we’re also kind of seeing here with just like the bare minimum of one sprinkler.
N. OWENS: Absolutely. You get what you get, but you’ve got to appreciate what you have because you’ve got to be glad you have something. (To daughter) Was it hot before you got in the water?
A. OWENS: Yeah.
N. OWENS: Alright
EVANS: And now you feel cooler?
A. OWENS: Mmhmm.
EVANS: So how you’re feeling right now feels pretty good?
A. OWENS: Yep.
