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The Sandbox at Cahill Square Park:
A Treasure that Unearths the Best of Whitefish Bay
By Joshua Becker
Did you ever wonder why humans aren’t born as adults (save for body size, of
course)? Unlike adults, children have a natural curiosity and uninhibited
imaginations. In a sandbox, a toy dump truck builds a mountain to the sky. A plastic
hand shovel really can dig to China. In a world of imagination, the toys become
instruments for children to interact in the real world, to learn how to share.
At Cahill Square Park in Whitefish Bay, sandbox toys unearth more than a child’s
innocent imagination. The toys reflect how adult residents share and add warmth to
Whitefish Bay. In the spring and beginning of summer, the sandbox is just that—a
box of sand, no different than any other park. Yet as the summer progresses,
Cahill’s sandbox becomes a treasure chest of sand toys. More and more toys are
added every week. And when the children return home, the toys stay in the sandbox.
The toys are communal, no longer owned by any one family. They’re left there for all
to enjoy, thanks to our generous residents.
Is it possible the families just forgot to bring the toys home, or didn’t need one more
toy to clutter their home? I suppose. Yet, let’s choose to look for the good in people,
for the positives. Let’s put aside the cynicism we accumulate as adults and instead
focus on the pure, innocent trust of a child—and the good intentions of their parents.
The photo above was taken on January 1st, 2015, long after summer ended. Even
then an abundance of toys remained, a symbol of the warm weather ahead and the
neighborly warmth we so cherish.
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