Great parks, great cities

1
Great parks, great cities

• The decline and
• renewal of the urban
• park tradition in the
• UK, and beyond.
• Ken Worpole
• University of Greenwich
• 18 October 2005

2
Park Life People, Parks Cities

• The report Park Life (1995) was described as a
  report which will change for ever the way we
  thinks about parks.
• A collaboration between two think-tanks Comedia
  Demos.
• Inspired setting up of the Heritage Lottery
  Funds Public Parks Initiative.

3

• PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
• (Based on 1000 interviews and analysis of 10,000
  users)
• Most people visit parks in company of others
• 70 walk to parks
• 40 claimed to use their local park every day
• 1 dog for every 8 people
• Slightly more men than women
• Many more people use parks than policy-makers and
  providers realise
• A wider cross-section of users than most other
  leisure facilities.

4

• THE URBAN GREEN
• SPACES TASK FORCE (2002)
• Over 30 million people in England (70) use parks
  frequently. 2 billion annual visits.
• Decrease in quality poor public image
• Public spending favours indoor over outdoor
  leisure
• Work in partnership with communities
• Develop Green Flag Award
• Establish national agency

5
TYPOLOGY OF GREEN SPACES

• Parks urban gardens
• Play parks
• Housing amenity land
• Sports grounds
• Allotments community gardens
• City farms
• Cemeteries
• Commons woodlands
• Canal paths linear parks
• Civic squares/ornamental gardens

6
THE TWO CULTURES OF LEISURE(From Greener Spaces,
Better Places)

• Spending on Urban parks and open spaces
  dropped from 44 of local authority spending in
  1976/77 to 31 of spending in 1998/99.
• Spending on Country parks, nature reserves and
  tourism increased from 7 to 17.

7
THE TWO CULTURES OF LEISURE(From Greener Spaces,
Better Places)

• RECREATIONAL CULTURE
• 70 walk
• All ages
• All social groups
• 600m for 2.5 billion visits

• FITNESS CULTURE
• Over 80 drive
• Pre-dominantly 18 - 45
• Mostly professional users
• 400m for 100 million visits

8
PARKS ARE PLACES FOR EVERYONE
9
MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF PARKS
10
MODERN PARKS IN EUROPE
11

• THE GREEN FLAG
• Eight Green Flag Criteria
• A welcoming place
• Healthy, safe secure
• Clean and well-maintained
• Run sustainably
• Conservation heritage
• Community involvement
• Marketing
• Management

12

• NEW ARCHITECTURE IN
• HISTORIC PARKS
• New structures are likely to include
• Kiosks cafes
• Toilet blocks
• Playgrounds
• Visitor centres
• Community centres
• Memorial gardens

13
THE RISE OF ECOLOGY
14

• CABE Space
• Established 2003
• Makes the case for parks public space
• Supports local authority strategies
• Strengthens expands Green Flag scheme
• Acts as advocacy research agency

15
FUTURE STRATEGIC GOALS

• Parks make town and cities - vital to urban and
  social renewa.l
• More socially inclusive and healthier than indoor
  leisure.
• Many other government objectives - community
  development, child-friendly culture, improved
  healt, environmental sustainability - can be
  achieved through investment in parks.
• Good design is vital - and so is adequate revenue
  funding for maintenance.
• Greater typological diversity.