The pandemic highlighted the importance of parks and public spaces for maintaining both the physical and mental health of urban residents.
Update November 20, 2023: The source article was incorrectly attributed to Scot Lehigh. the author of the article is Aaron Greiner.
Writing in The Boston Globe, Aaron Greiner argues that “Public spaces, which served as a lifeline for people during the pandemic, can be more thoughtfully designed to better foster human connection and combat loneliness.”
As Greiner points out, “A growing body of research, including a 2021 study that found that frequent visits to green spaces decreased people’s use of depression medication, points to the many ways a dose of public space can improve people’s well-being.” For Greiner, this means planners and city leaders must consciously build places that foster wellbeing and “invite people to stop, stay, and connect.” Greiner calls places that do this successfully—“make people feel welcome, represented, and connected to their neighborhoods, and this, in turn, builds social connections between visitors”—‘sticky.’
Greiner adds that “Social infrastructure, like physical infrastructure, requires upkeep, investment, and adaptation”—and should be similarly prioritized by cities long after the pandemic.
FULL STORY: Urban planners should prioritize community spaces to help combat loneliness
Nature Essential to Counteract Modern Life
Richard Louv says we're drowning in a "sea of circuitry" and in desperate need to reconnect with greenery and nature in our living spaces to sooth our souls.
Green Spaces Benefit Neighborhoods—When Residents can Reach Them
A study comparing green space and walkability scores found that, without effective access to local parks, residents of greener neighborhoods don’t reap the health benefits.
In Praise of the Endangered ‘Third Space’
The public spaces where people can spend time among strangers without buying something are crucial to healthy cities—and are quickly disappearing.
Eugene Ends Parking Minimums
In a move that complies with a state law aimed at reducing transportation emissions, Eugene amended its parking rules to eliminate minimum requirements and set maximum parking lot sizes.
How Paris, Texas Became a ‘Unicorn’ for Rural Transit
A robust coalition of advocates in the town of 25,000 brought together the funding and resources to launch a popular bus service that some residents see as a mobility lifeline—and a social club.
How ‘Daylighting’ Intersections Can Save Lives
Eliminating visual obstructions can make intersections safer for all users.
States Scramble in Wake of Clean Water Act Ruling
The removal of federal oversight of wetlands has left millions of acres unregulated and erected major hurdles for lawmakers seeking to protect them.
Brightline West Awarded $3 Billion in Federal Funding
The high-speed rail line will cut travel time between Southern California and Las Vegas roughly in half.
OKC Celebrates New Rapid Bus Line With Free Rides
The agency wants to showcase the benefits of a recently opened BRT line connecting the northwest part of the city to downtown.
City of Kissimmee - Development Services
City of Kissimmee - Development Services
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Park City Municipal Corporation
National Capital Planning Commission
City of Santa Fe, New Mexico
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