At the last planning session for the controversially named Guadalupe WestTown Community Plan, the subject of creating outdoor public spaces on Guadalupe Street was a central theme. Design professionals and city planners along with community members talked about bringing more spaces like courtyards, plazas, fountains and playgrounds into the neighborhood.

Interestingly, the area that was the focus of discussion at the planning session already has a huge plaza. On the day I visited, the plaza was stark-empty. Tall iron gates with heavy locks stood like sentinels around the perimeter of the plaza.

The numerous, amply sized benches were bare. Although the plaza was accessible, the “No Loitering” sign posted right at the entrance seemed like a deterrent. There wasn’t a soul in sight.

Right around the corner from the plaza, in the parking lot of the Avenida Guadalupe Association, two young men sat on the tailgate of their truck eating lunch. I wondered why they weren’t sitting in the plaza instead. They were Lake students grabbing a bite before heading into the arts center for their Theater for Children class. I asked them why they didn’t use the plaza and why they thought nobody did.

“Someone should play music,” one of the gentlemen offered.

“If people heard music, they would come,” said the other.

I tend to agree. Maybe we shouldn’t be trying to figure out how to add more open space. Instead, we should be talking about how to make the open space that already exists more inviting. Take note design professionals and city planners. Lake students are pretty smart.