changelabsolutions.org 4 Connect: Safe Routes to Parks People are more likely to visit parks when they feel safe getting there.7 A neighborhood park can be enjoyed only if everyone can easily and safely get there, whether by walking, rolling, biking, taking public transit, or driving a car. People often think of parks as places for physical activity and exercise, but the health benefits could be even greater if people could safely walk, run, or bike on their way to the park and not just after they arrive. Parks are as much a part of neighborhoods as local schools, housing, and businesses, and creating safe routes to parks can improve the transportation system throughout a city or county.8 The same routes that people take to parks are used to reach other destinations. Establishing safe, convenient access to parks can also make it easier for people to get to work, run errands, coordinate pick-ups from school or child care, or meet up with friends. How to Measure: Assessment of the Connect element focuses on accessibility of parks and safe routes to and through parks, regardless of the users’ needs or mode of transit. The trails and paths within parks should be integrated into the local transportation network so parks serve as through-routes, not only destinations. Especially in areas without transit infrastructure, proximity to other key destinations and amenities are an important way to measure connectivity and parks access. Locate: Equitable Distribution of Complete Parks People who live within walking distance of a park are more likely to use parks and have higher physical activity levels than residents who live farther away.9 The location of a park determines who can access open space and recreation, how the park can be used, and whether it can be integrated into the neighborhood or function as a community hub. This element also aims to increase park land and recreation spaces in areas that have far fewer parks than other parts of a city or county. This is important because inequitable access to parks is yet another way that people’s physical environment can contribute to disease, injury, risk behaviors, and mortality.10 How to Measure: The distance people travel to parks is part of assessing the Locate element. Locate indicators also include the amount of park land in a neighborhood and the potential for increasing parkland and recreation spaces. Creative strategies can increase the available venues for exercise, leisure activities, and social interaction, and such strategies are essential in developed areas where open space is limited.
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