From Availability to Meaningful Access: Poverty, Disability, and Public Parks as Infrastructure for Chronic Disease Prevention

Public parks are widely available, relatively low-cost resources for physical activity and chronic disease prevention, but their availability does not necessarily translate into meaningful access. A park may be nearby and open to the public, yet remain difficult for some residents to reach, navigate, or use given their abilities, needs, and available resources. This distinction may be particularly consequential when poverty and disability intersect, because limited financial and transportation resources can reduce the alternatives available when a particular recreation setting does not meet an individual's needs. This analytic essay examines the distinction between park availability and meaningful access within the context of chronic disease prevention, with particular attention to the intersection of poverty and disability. Evidence from Delaware shows variation in transportation access, pathways, trails, restrooms, wayfinding, and communication across community parks, as well as gaps in the information residents may need to determine whether available recreation opportunities are appropriate for them. The Delaware experience also illustrates opportunities for collaboration among parks and recreation, public health, transportation and planning, academic researchers, people with disabilities, community organizations, and other partners. Such collaboration can help address connections between parks and surrounding communities, identify user-relevant characteristics that can be feasibly documented and communicated, incorporate community perspectives, and apply public health data to planning and evaluation. Meaningful access does not require every park or trail to meet every need. It does require attention to whether residents can reach and use available recreation environments and have sufficient information to identify opportunities appropriate to their abilities, needs, and preferences.