Suburban Growth - Research Paper Example

The and the suburbia The growth of suburbs rose exponentially after the Second World War at the time when population was also in the rise. Further, industrial activities, commercial, and service oriented businesses were on the increase too. Most suburbs had low population densities in similar single-family units on small pieces of land. They had zoning patterns that clearly distinguished and separated commercial developments from the residential ones. Real estate companies invested in development of multiple home units on previously subdivided rural farmlands. This created a homogeneous community in terms of income levels and family sizes. Well designed Infrastructure paved way for casual cruise around the neighbourhoods, efficacy in handling sanitation and provision of social amenities and public utilities (Ackroyd, 2001:63). Figure 1:  Golders Green, which makes a wonderfully typical view of London. Accessed on 23 Nov. 2011 from http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSTIopYtr-_zJLM7Hyaror4-d3pw0PvxI4iA6ayMd3iQnjXw20O Figure 2: Aerial view of East London suburb Thames Gateway London UK Accessed on 23 Nov. 2011, from http://www.constructionphotography.com/ImageThumbs/A088-04062/3/A088-04062_Aerial_view_of_East_London_suburb_Thames_Gateway_London_UK.jpg At the time, cities, on the other hand, had unprecedented growth in industrial activities and population densities as people migrated from the rural areas in search of jobs and spaces for doing business. This served as the main characteristic and distinguishing features. As a result, the city’s public utilities and infrastructure were increasingly coming under pressure and were beginning to lose their quality and aesthetic value in the face of many dwellers. This prompted the growth of suburbs designed to offer this kind of quality life that was fading from cities at a much faster pace (Baudelaire, 1995:72). Over the decades, suburbs have increasingly been the preferred destinations for many families across all major cities of the world owing to realization of the reality that the disadvantages overshadowed the merits of the big cities. Cities famous for their developed mass transit, an all-inclusive culture, and the exciting nightlife that go well especially for the youth are, on the other hand, noisy, extremely filthy, ridden with a lot of crime. In addition, there are terrible traffic jams, poor provision of sanitation and others services, as well as higher rates of taxes and lack of open spaces as compared to the more serine suburbs. The conditions that now define the face of city life have overstretched the density of suburbs as more and more families fight to keep hold of the life in suburbs as evidenced in the photograph of a suburb below (Dines, 2009:127). Figure 3: Sprawling suburbia in London. Living in a box, London style Accessed on 23 Nov. 2011, from http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTIinG1MWl0JmJG-IyqP2GsDYwQAqVsdFd1IH5iQwSwFp3FtyTl Scholars have analyzed many opposing arguments in comparison between a city and a suburb, with some advocates asserting that there exist no differences between the two. It is their considered opinion that cities are the models from which development of suburbs should progress. These advocates have continually labelled suburbs as being casual, uneconomical, and even antagonistic, hence branding them as ‘sprawl’. These sorts of assertions blatantly ignore the fact that suburbs sprang into existence as an effort by city residence and in particular families to run away from the unfriendly city environment. The suburbs residents, on the other hand, have unwavering conviction that the city is unproductive and very uneconomical. The city has been likened with the youthful section of the society because it is the leading arena where culture and nightlife happens. The best museums, concert halls, variety of clubs, bars, motels, theatres, restaurants, and the like usually found in the city that knows nothing like sleep. This is of course a sharp contrast of the suburb life defined by silence and a clear delineation between day and nighttime. Activities normally come to a close to pave way for the night in the suburbs and thereby quite unwelcoming for the young people who result into moving out for the city where they can party and enjoy themselves all night long (Ackroyd, 2001:121). Cities have developed transport systems that provide frequent and reliable service for their residents and commuters from outside. Buses and train subways are always on the go throughout the day and night picking and dropping commuters around the city. This is quite favourable for the young who more than often cannot afford to hire taxis or rent cars to get around and out of the city (Dines, 2009:43). In this respect, the suburbs are beaten hands up since mass transit systems are usually not so frequent owing to the fact that there is not much activity in the suburbs and that most of the older people resident in these places do own cars. In earlier days, cities were the major shopping destinations, an advantage overtaken by the introduction of shopping malls in the suburbs since then. Now, right in the centre of suburbs are malls that encompass all the facilities ranging from super markets, boutiques, and salons to bars and restaurants. No longer do the suburb dwellers have to take the long tiring commute to the cities for Christmas, holiday or general home shopping. As documented in Jonze’s film “The Suburbs” advantages of the city however seem to carry along them their biggest undoing, consider for instance the fact that one can get anything at anytime one needs it. It is because the city never sleeps. This is precisely why they are considered noisy and irritable. Throughout the night, there is plenty of noise from all quarters; police sirens chasing after thugs, fire brigades horning as they respond to emergencies, the tall city walls, spelling nuisance all night long, amplify traffic and the loud music from the entertainment joint across the street. Privacy is a forgotten story in the city since the density of people and the space between one household and the next is almost nonexistent. From the window, one can see straight to the bedroom of the neighbours and so can they. Anything taking place in any of the adjacent houses whether below, above or to the sides can be heard at any time. The convenience of mass transport system also comes with the same demerit of having absolutely no privacy and more than often infiltrated by petty thieves. Alongside this, is the air pollution caused by the smoke emitted and the dust blown by buses and the subways. Another undoing of the city, which is an advantage of the suburb, is the cost of housing. Prices are too high for the average citizen to afford a decent spacious house adequate for a family. For most young singles, living in groups in small studio apartments that definitely cannot support them in marriage and family life is the only way out to ach a living in the city. The imposition of controls on rent distorts the market leading to high prices for houses as a result of increased costs and discouraging investment in the sector due to low rates of return for the land lords. High crime rates in the city are perhaps the icing on the cake. The probability that one will fall victim to pick pocketing if not to a harmed robber is quite high in the cities, has seen may lose their valuables, and sometimes lives. Of course, poor provision of services, traffic jams, and lack of adequate and secure parking, congested streets, and overly crowded public schools has done little to the comfort of city dwellers. There is no free space since the available public parks are always packed since everybody badly needs to be outdoors and they are quite insecure at night. Children in the circumstance are usually the biggest sufferers since their play needs more control within the confines of the small grounds (Baudelaire, 1995:93). Cities have thus increasingly favoured the young, who can cope with the challenges and the very rich, who can afford ample and secure residence with enough parking spaces. For families with average means, the suburbs is the most viable option since they can have the big back yards, good schools, clean air and secure open spaces where children can play without any unnecessary risks. Figure 2:  Nicknamed 'Superstar', the movable city is Accessed on 23 Nov. 2011 from http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQJWN8-Pi1U-NCKqSX0olCN6cOsxoRxbV0fQjhHg4zGKAODJm9P Getting enough and undisturbed sleep is important to them since they have to be up early for work and to take children to school, decision to settle for the suburb is quit noble. Visiting the city then becomes an occasional thing, mostly for cultural activities. From Holland’s film, “Stuck in the Suburbs”, the idea to urbanize the suburbs will serve to destroy the features that make them the favourite for families. Such a move will only make them move further outside to create new ones in an attempt to retain the quality of life offered by the suburbs. However, an emerging trend is now being evidenced across the United States. Many people are moving back to the city downtown areas as new residential, social and cultural infrastructure are been developed. Factors like proximity to work places, efficient transport, cultural attractions and the growing stress in the suburbs which are increasingly been over crowded are pushing many people back to the city. In conclusion, the comparison between the two has been in favour of the suburb owing to the life they offer. Many of the films and books written in the last five decades have depicted the suburb in a positive light as they took the city as the centre stage for their action often painting them in the negative light. Although determination of what is exiting or boring, clean or filthy, illicit or wholesome is purely depends on individual preferences, the great contrast between the two as indicated in this paper cannot be overlooked as it give insight of the reality as it is. Bibliography Ackroyd, P (2001) London: The biography. London: Random house Baudelaire, C. (1995) The painter of modern life. London: Phaidon press. Dines, M. (2009) Gay Suburban Narratives in American and British Culture: Homecoming Queens London: Palgrave MacMillan. Holland, S. S. Stuck in the Suburbs (TV 2004) Jonze, S. 2011. “The Suburbs” Video. Read More