Accessibility and usability of parks and playgrounds

Area of Science:

• Urban planning and landscape architecture
• Disability studies and inclusive design
• Public health and recreation

Background:

• Public parks and playgrounds offer accessible leisure opportunities for all ages.
• Evaluating park and playground accessibility and usability is vital to ensure inclusive participation.
• Design, environment, and safety features can limit access for persons with disabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the accessibility and usability of 21 public parks and playgrounds across three New Zealand cities.
• To compare accessibility and usability based on park type (destination vs. neighborhood).
• To examine differences in accessibility and usability related to socioeconomic deprivation levels (high vs. low).

Main Methods:

• A customized evaluation tool was used to assess 21 parks and playgrounds.
• Parks were selected using stratified random sampling, with three additional parks added per city council request.
• Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the collected data.

Main Results:

• No evaluated parks met national or international design standards for parks and playgrounds.
• Identified issues included inadequate car parking, path surfaces, play equipment, lighting, and fencing.
• Destination parks more frequently featured amenities; high-deprivation areas had fewer accessible parking spaces and narrower main paths.

Conclusions:

• Significant design, environmental, and safety barriers hinder participation in parks and playgrounds for people with disabilities across all age groups.
• A more extensive and thorough evaluation of parks and playgrounds is necessary.
• Recommendations for improved inclusive design and safety standards are implied.