I read the image as a visualization of why it feels hostile, to a suburban child, to walk to a point of gathering or "third place." For many suburban children, this kind of intersection is fairly representative of the closest points of interest to their home, accessible only by car via highways.
Maybe to a very young child that is an interesting spot, but this kind of intersection certainly was representative of the closest points of interest in the suburb where I spent my middle-school years.
In my experience, older children tended to want to congregate at cafes, Einstein Bagels, etc., especially if coming home after school when the parents aren't home and all one wants is a spot for a hanging out with friends over a snack. Also, a park being a gathering place assumes ample tree cover and good weather, missing during most of the the academic year. Meanwhile, at least in the American southwest, a park is unbearably (near 100F) hot in the summer.
I feel like the weather bit is something people forget about.
I live in the southern US and I don't want to go outside most of the year either, because it's miserable.
And I don't have hard data on hand to back it up but it certainly seems to me and my dad that it's hotter, and more often, than it was when we were kids.
