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Urban planification

Diversity of Public Spaces and Facilities

CONTEXT

Public spaces and facilities are a very important aspect for socialisation, the formation of collective identities, and the generation of leisure, cultural, physical and sporting activity. The public space is the public’s learning place par excellence. It is a place that is free to access to generate and enjoy social networks, which for many people configure their only social capital, especially those who do not have the opportunity to meet in other spaces.

A diversity of public open spaces and having beauty spots in which to spend free time are the most influential factors to guarantee the active use of the natural environment by the population and therefore foster physical activity and health. Accordingly, children who live in neighbourhoods with a greater presence of recreational and other types of facilities present higher levels of physical activity in their free time. Among the population over 65 who enjoy a greater diversity of uses (functional spaces) in their local environment there is greater confidence to get around on foot, and this has been associated with higher levels of physical activity and spending less time on sedentary activities.

OBJECTIVE

• Foster social capital by offering more public spaces and facilities that are open to everyone.

PROPOSALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• Provide a wide range of use opportunities and efficiency in the use of public infrastructure in order to foster the various uses of both the public space and facilities. Some recommendations for their design:
  • Increase green cover in order to contribute to cooling the ambient temperature of the city and provide rest areas during very hot periods. Foster the implementation of green roofs and/or facades to contribute to increasing the total green space. This should be relatively simple in the case of public facilities. It should be taken into account that it is also necessary to “manage” these spaces and sometimes private individuals cannot do so.
  • Incorporate paths that connect to green routes for walking or cycling and facilitate active transport and meeting points.
  • Improve the beauty of green zones to invite their use, increase time spent in the street and economic activity.
  • Incorporate indigenous plants into the public space to conserve local biodiversity and design singular spaces so their users will make them their own.
  • Adapt the design of the open-space network so it is inclusive and accessible for all and include innovative improvements so that vulnerable groups can have opportunities to access and enjoy this space. Develop a municipal accessibility plan.
  • Consider noise and safety in planning to minimise the impact of environmental disturbances and maximise the opportunities of public spaces.
• Provide a suitably arranged and interlinked distribution of facilities in order to ensure greater permeability in the territory and in the population, favouring equal opportunities through the implementation of networks of facilities capable of interacting with each other and maximising their services, without losing sight of the differential characteristics and specificities of each scope.
• Plan reserves that facilitate integrated approaches between facilities and the public space in order to facilitate synergies.
• Reinforce the provision of facilities in deteriorated areas to facilitate their revitalisation and foster their capacity to exchange with other neighbourhoods and areas of the city.
• Provide local infrastructure to support physical activity and sport that connects the spaces to each other (public space, sports facilities and workplaces). Good practice recommendations:
  • Provide comfort, guarantee proximity to facilities and services to rest and get changed, taking into account the inclusiveness criteria of the various special needs (children, the elderly, people affected by a type of disability or disease, etc.).
  • Plan the availability of public water fountains.
  • Provide facilities to rest in accessible seats, which must allow people to stop at a place, be comfortable enough for them remain there for a while and help those affected by a special need to make trips.
  • Provide bicycle parking, including for adapted bicycles and tricycles, in safe areas. Prioritise these parking areas at entrances to public buildings, workplaces, schools, the open-space network and paths.
  • Equip the infrastructure with Wi-Fi coverage with fast and secure access. Connectivity is a growing expectation and its availability can favour the use of facilities and spaces that support physical activity.
  • Foster the mobility of scooters and motorised wheelchairs. Provide safe parking and recharging facilities for them to make it easier for people to use them and enjoy the public space and its possibilities.
  • Improve the safety of cycle lanes and walkways so they are inclusive and safe.
  • Equip the various areas with suitable, adapted and inclusive signage that invites people to move about the public space with ease and in safety (incorporate maps, diagrams, important information, distances, distances travelled, etc.).
• Provide leisure spaces for dogs, equipped with elements to play, exercise, walk, meet others, etc. Have fountains where dogs can drink.
• Foster the opening of schoolyards and other public spaces outside normal hours to increase opportunities for their various uses.

REFERENCE EXPERIENCES

LEGISLATION

• Decret Legislatiu 1/2000, de 31 de juliol, pel qual s'aprova el Text únic de la Llei de l'esport (article 48).

STUDIES AND TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION

Guides and documents:

• Fenton, K., 2015. Active Design. Planning for health and wellbeing through sport and physical activity. Sport England.
• Government of South Australia, 2015. Urban Design Protocol.
• Greater London Authority on behalf of the Green Infrastructure Task Force, 2015. Natural Capital Investing in a Green Infrastructure for a Future London.
• Planning Department the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSARG), 2016. Green and Blue Space Conceptual Framework. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
• World Health Organization, 2016. Physical activity strategy for the WHO European Region 2016–2025. World Health Organization.

Scientific papers

• Adams, M. A. et al. (2015) ‘Patterns of Walkability, Transit, and Recreation Environment for Physical Activity’, Am J Prev, 49(6), pp. 878–887. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2015.05.024.Patterns.
• Albercht, S. et al. (2015) ‘Change in waist circumference with longer time in the US among Hispanic and Chinese immigrants: the modifying role of the neighborhood built environment Sandra’, Ann Epidemiol., 25(10), pp. 767–772. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2015.07.003.Change.
• Bourdeaudhuij, I. De et al. (2015) ‘International study of perceived neighbourhood environmental attributes and Body Mass Index : IPEN Adult study in 12 countries’, pp. 1–10. doi: 10.1186/s12966-015-0228-y.
• Carlson, J. A. et al. (2015) ‘Association between neighborhood walkability and GPS- measured walking, bicycling and vehicle time in adolescents Jordan’, Health & Place, 32, pp. 1–7. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2014.12.008.Association.
• Chaudhury, H. et al. (2016) ‘Neighbourhood environment and physical activity in older adults’, Social Science & Medicine. Elsevier Ltd, 149, pp. 104–113. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.12.011.
• Chen, P. and Shen, Q. (2016) ‘Built environment effects on cyclist injury severity in automobile-involved bicycle crashes’, Accident Analysis and Prevention. Elsevier Ltd, 86, pp. 239–246. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2015.11.002.
• Chum, A. and Campo, P. O. (2015) ‘Cross-sectional associations between residential environmental exposures and cardiovascular diseases’. doi: 10.1186/s12889-015-1788-0.
• Gao, M., Ahern, J. and Koshland, C. P. (2016) ‘Perceived built environment and health-related quality of life in four types of neighborhoods in Xi ’ an , China’, Health & Place. Elsevier, 39, pp. 110–115. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2016.03.008.
• Graziose, M. M. et al. (2016) ‘Association Between the Built Environment in School Neighborhoods With Physical Activity Among New York City Children, 2012’, Preventing Chronic Disease, 13, p. 150581.
• Heerman, W. J. et al. (2016) ‘Parental perception of built environment characteristics and built environment use among Latino families : a cross-sectional study’, BMC Public Health. BMC Public Health, pp. 1–8. doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3854-7.
• James, P., Hart, J. E. and Laden, F. (2015) ‘Exposures to Walkability and Particulate Air Pollution in a Nationwide Cohort of Women’, Environmental Research, 142, pp. 703–711. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2015.09.005.Exposures.
• Katapally, T. R., Rainham, D. and Muhajarine, N. (2015) ‘Factoring in weather variation to capture the in fl uence of urban design and built environment on globally recommended levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity in children’, pp. 1–10. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009045.
• Kerr, J. et al. (2016) ‘Perceived Neighborhood Environmental Attributes Associated with Walking and Cycling for Transport among Adult Residents of 17 Cities in 12 Countries : The IPEN Study’, Environmental Health Perspectives, 124(3), pp. 290–298.
• King, A. C. et al. (2015) ‘An observational study identifying obese subgroups among older adults at increased risk of mobility disability : do perceptions of the neighborhood environment matter?’, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 12, p. 157. doi: 10.1186/s12966-015-0322-1.
• Kolbe-alexander, T. L. et al. (2015) ‘The relationship between the built environment and habitual levels of physical activity in South African older adults : a pilot study’, pp. 1–9. doi: 10.1186/s12889-015-1853-8.
• Koohsari, M. J. et al. (2015) ‘Public open space, physical activity, urban design and public health: Concepts, methods and research agenda’, Health and Place. Elsevier, 33, pp. 75–82. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2015.02.009.
• Koohsari, M. J. and Hanibuchi, T. (2017) ‘Associations of Neighborhood Environmental Attributes with Walking in Japan : Moderating Effects of Area-Level Socioeconomic Status’, J Urban Health. Journal of Urban Health. doi: 10.1007/s11524-017-0199-1.
• Kurka, J. et al. (2015) ‘Patterns of neighborhood environment attributes in relation to children ’ s physical activity’, Health & Place. Elsevier, 34, pp. 164–170. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2015.05.006.
• Lavin, J. et al. (2016) ‘Neighborhood and family perceived environments associated with children ’ s physical activity and body mass index’, Preventive Medicine. Elsevier Inc., 82, pp. 35–41. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.11.005.
• Liao, Y. et al. (2016) ‘Associations of Perceived and Objectively-Measured Neighborhood Environmental Attributes With Leisure-Time Sitting for Transport’, Journal of physical activity & health.
• Malambo, P. et al. (2017) ‘Association between perceived built environmental attributes and physical activity among adults in South Africa’, BMVCPublic Health. BMC Public Health, 17, p. 213. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4128-8.
• Markevych, I. et al. (2016) ‘Neighbourhood and physical activity in German adolescents : GINIplus and LISAplus’, Environmental Research. Elsevier, 147, pp. 284–293. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.02.023.
• Mccormack, G. R. et al. (2016) ‘Supportive neighbourhood built characteristics and dog-walking in Canadian adults’, Can J Public Health, 107(3), p. e250. doi: 10.17269/CJPH.107.5360.
• Mcinerney, M. et al. (2016) ‘Associations between the neighbourhood food environment , neighbourhood socioeconomic status , and diet quality : An observational study’, BMC Public Health. BMC Public Health. doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3631-7.
• Mertens, L. et al. (2016) ‘Perceived environmental correlates of cycling for transport among adults in five regions of Europe’, Obesity reviews, 17, pp. 53–61. doi: 10.1111/obr.12379.
• Miranda, J. J. et al. (2016) ‘Patterns and Determinants of Physical Inactivity in Rural and Urban Areas in Peru : A Population-Based Study’, pp. 654–662.
• Mitchell, C. A., Clark, A. F. and Gilliland, J. A. (2016) ‘Built Environment Influences of Children ’ s Physical Activity : Examining Differences by Neighbourhood Size and Sex’. doi: 10.3390/ijerph13010130.
• Nehme, E. K. et al. (2014) ‘Environmental Correlates of Recreational Walking in the Neighborhood’, American journal of health promotion : AJHP, 0(0). doi: 10.4278/ajhp.130531-QUAN-281.
• Paul, P., Carlson, S. A. and Fulton, J. E. (2017) ‘Walking and the Perception of Neighborhood Attributes Among U.S. Adults, 2012’, Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 14(1), pp. 36–44.
• Perchoux, C. et al. (2015) ‘Accounting for the daily locations visited in the study of the built environment correlates of recreational walking ( the RECORD Cohort Study )’, Preventive Medicine. Elsevier Inc., 81, pp. 142–149. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.08.010.
• Ruff, R. R., Akhund, A. and Adjoian, T. (2014) ‘Small Convenience Stores and the Local Food Environment : An Analysis of Resident Shopping Behavior Using Multilevel Modeling’, American Journal of Health Promotion, 0(0). doi: 10.4278/ajhp.140326-QUAN-121.
• Waygood, E. O. D., Sun, Y. and Letarte, L. (2018) ‘Active Travel by Built Environment and Lifecycle Stage : Case Study of Osaka Metropolitan Area’, (November 2015), pp. 15900–15924. doi: 10.3390/ijerph121215027.
• Zhou, P., Grady, S. C. and Chen, G. (2017) ‘How the built environment affects change in older people ’ s physical activity : A mixed- methods approach using longitudinal health survey data in urban China’, Social Science & Medicine. Elsevier Ltd, 192, pp. 74–84. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.09.032.

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