changelabsolutions.org 5 Activate: Community-Led Park Activities and Programs A well designed park can improve health by providing spaces for exercise11 and quiet reflection and relaxation,12 as well as by facilitating connections among friends, family, neighbors, and other social networks that can provide emotional support.13,14 Not every park will or should have every possible amenity, but parks should serve many purposes and provide a variety of features that respond to residents’ priorities. By accommodating multiple uses, parks can welcome many users and maximize their benefits to communities. Parks can increase property values, attract businesses and in-demand workers, and make a region more appealing,15 and 85% of Americans say having high-quality parks, playgrounds and open space is important when choosing where to live.16 Park users and the broader community may have multiple needs and different priorities depending on time of day, the season, their age or phase of life, and over time. A park that is overly prescriptive quickly becomes obsolete because it cannot reflect the community’s changing needs and desires for using park space. To accommodate a wide range of potential users and uses in an ongoing way, parks should have flexible spaces for ad hoc community purposes, in addition to formal programs and fixed features such as play structures or gardens. How to Measure: Assessing the Activate element gauges people’s satisfaction with local park uses and with their participation in park activities. Because people and communities are dynamic and always changing, Activate indicators also examine whether parks can adapt so they’re responsive to community needs and desires for the long haul. Rather than espousing cumbersome rules, procedures, or fees that may create barriers or exclude people from using parks, a Complete Parks system encourages people and organizations to use and repurpose their parks so they can easily make the most of parks for generations.
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