The use of place-making practices for park improvements can potentially support environmental justice in low-income minority communitiesPlace-making, as applied to space design, is a community driven process involving collaboration between designers and the community. When applied to park design, the planning process incorporates the perceptions and voices of the park users. While place-making practices can potentially facilitate effective park design, related research is sparse. This study addressed this gap in the literature by investigating the opportunity for improving place-making practices in one low-income African American neighborhood park in the United States.
Thirty users of a historically significant park in a low-income, predominantly African American neighborhood participated in individual semi-structured interviews about their connections to the park, their feelings about changes to the park, and their perceptions about how the community was involved in the planning of the proposed changes. The interviews, which lasted approximately 30 minutes, were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim.
An analysis of the park users’ narratives revealed six major themes: everyday activities and experiences, organized events, belonging, dependence, safety, and political processes. Each theme related in some way to the respondents’ perceptions of planned park changes and considerations for youth in the community. Use of the park as described by the interviewees included informal recreation, informal businesses, solitude, and socialization. Respondents expressed concern about how the proposed removal of some park features – including a parking lot and a large picnic shelter – would negatively impact their activities and experiences in the park. They noted how the community relied heavily on these park features for a variety of activities supporting social bonding. Respondents also noted how proposed additions to the park – including green space and a skate park – were not highly valued by the community. The respondents’ narratives revealed a potential mismatch between what the proposed changes were designed to accomplish and the neighborhood priorities.
This study highlights the need to gain a better understanding of the cultural significance of a park and the community’s priorities for that park before making decisions about changes to a park. This study also provides insights into how city planners can better include community members in the decision-making process. Incorporating place-making practices in park design may be one way to address environmental justice issues experienced by many residents of low-income minority communities.
The Bottom Line