The Complexities of Park Access

Park access is not only about reducing travel distance to a park; it is a complex issue that requires a variety of creative solutions.

1 minute read

October 17, 2021, 7:00 AM PDT

By Clement Lau


Typically, park access is measured in terms of the percentage of residents in a community living within a half-mile or ten-minute walk of a park. Thus, a key strategy to improve park access is the creation of new parks in neighborhoods with few or no parks so that more people can more easily get to park resources. There are, however, additional ways to improve access to parks. Park access is not just about reducing travel distance to a park; it is a much more complex and multi-faceted issue that requires a variety of creative solutions.

In this article, park planner Clement Lau discusses various issues that should be considered in order to comprehensively address and improve park access, including:

  • Maintenance and Upgrades
  • Safety
  • Amenities
  • Transportation
  • Information Sharing
  • Programming
  • Homelessness
  • Access for the Disabled
  • Land Access for Native Americans
  • Climate Change Impacts

For more information, please read the source article.

Thursday, October 14, 2021 in National Recreation and Park Association Open Space Blog

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