Associations between Community Parks and Social Interactions in Master-Planned Estates in Sydney, Australia

Chunyan Yang, Song Shi and Goran Runeson
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Chunyan Yang: School of Built Environment, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
Song Shi: School of Built Environment, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
Goran Runeson: School of Built Environment, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-17

Abstract: There have been growing concerns regarding increased social isolation in Australia, many of which are currently being exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Feelings of social isolation may increase the risk of mental issues in people. New Urbanism hypothesizes that neighborhood communal spaces can influence social interaction between residents and, in turn, can promote community sustainability. This study investigated the associations between community parks and social interactions in master-planned estates (MPEs) in Sydney, Australia. Data were obtained from a resident survey conducted in two MPEs in the inner west area of Sydney: Breakfast Point and Liberty Grove ( n = 192). Hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) models were used to analyze the relationship between community park use and social interaction. This study found that the factors ‘frequency of community park use’, ‘rest spaces satisfaction’, and ‘pedestrian connectivity with surroundings’ are significantly and positively associated with social interaction between residents in the MPE context. The findings of this study highlight the importance of the community parks in creating social sustainability in MPEs, particularly in the context of COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: social interaction; community parks; master-planned estates; new urbanism; community sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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