Improving Parks and Community Facilities

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Improving Parks and Community Facilities
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What do we mean by improving parks and other
community facilities?

• A community facility is a physical feature
  provided either by the municipality as a public
  service, or by a private entity in the
  community for the benefit of community members.
• Improving community facilities comes down to
  determining what the community needs and wants,
  and working to provide those facilities that will
  enhance the quality of life socially,
  intellectually, culturally, economically,
  politically, and psychologically for everyone.

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Examples of community facilities include

• Parks.
• Libraries. 
• Theaters, both stage and cinema.
• Museums.
• Auditoriums and concert venues.
• Hospitals and other health providers, both public
  and private.
• Educational facilities (schools, colleges, etc.)
• Churches, synagogues, mosques, and other
  religious entities.
• Local, state, and federal government offices
  meant to serve the public.
• Public and other sports and recreation
  facilities. 
• Recycling facilities.
• Community gardens.
• Community art centers.
• Child care facilities.
• Playgrounds.
• Transportation.

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Why improve parks and other community facilities

• Good facilities contribute to the general quality
  of life in the community.
• Good facilities provide exposure to and
  opportunities for a wide variety of intellectual,
  cultural, and physical activities.
• Good facilities can instill a sense of ownership
  and community pride in residents.
• Good facilities can provide services that help
  everyone.
• Good facilities can help prevent crime and other
  dangerous behavior. 
• Good facilities can increase the level of
  fairness and equity in a community.
• Good facilities can help to attract new
  residents.
• Good facilities can improve the economic climate
  and prospects of the community, by attracting
  business and tourism.
• Good facilities can make the community more
  attractive physically.
• Good facilities can provide gathering places that
  improve the social character of community life.

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When should you try to improve parks and other
community facilities?

• When there is a community need and facilities are
  lacking.
• When facilities are in bad shape or inadequate.
• When theres a community development initiative
  under way.
• When theres money available from grants or
  private sources that can be used for it.
• When the community, or at least a group of
  residents, is ready to take on the task.
• When theres a possibility of acquiring a piece
  of land or a building for community use.
• When a major development is in the planning or
  early execution stage. 
• When theres a possibility of historic
  preservation.

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Who should be involved in improving community
parks and facilities?

• Improving parks and other community facilities
  should be a participatory process, involving as
  many stakeholder groups as possible. Stakeholders
  include
• Potential users of the facility.
• Community leaders.
• Public officials.
• Architects, designers, engineers, developers, and
  planners.
• Community based organizations. 
• Community foundations. 
• Community activists.

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How do you improve parks and other community
facilities?

• Assess community facility assets and needs.
• Assemble a participatory planning team
  representing the interests of all stakeholders.
• Design the best facility possible, according to
  the results of your assessment and planning, the
  available resources, and the guidelines for
  creating a good community facility.

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Guidelines for good community facilities

• Facilities should meet the needs of the
  community.
• Facilities should involve the community in all
  aspects of their planning and development.
• Facilities should take advantage of the assets
  and culture of the community.
• Facilities should be designed to be as beautiful,
  exciting, and functional as they can be, rather
  than merely adequate, regardless of the resources
  available.
• Facilities should be accessible and welcoming.
• Facilities should be healthy and safe.
• Facilities should be clean and well maintained.
• Facilities should be marketed to potential users.
  
• Facilities should be as flexible as possible.
• Facilities should be sustainable over time.
• Facilities should be well managed.
• Facilities should seek to benefit the community
  in as many ways as possible.
• Facilities should have a mechanism for regular
  monitoring and evaluation, and a mechanism to act
  on their results.

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How do you improve parks and other community
facilities? cont.

• Assess and work to obtain potential resources.
• Do what you can with the resources you have.
• Collaborate with other organizations, local
  government, etc.
• Enlist help from the media.
• Advocate with policy makers, legislators, and the
  public.
• Keep at it indefinitely.