Inclusive Parks across Ages: Multifunction and Urban Open Space Management for Children, Adolescents, and the Elderly

Elin P. Sundevall and Märit Jansson
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Elin P. Sundevall: Department of Landscape Architecture, Planning and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 66, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden
Märit Jansson: Department of Landscape Architecture, Planning and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 66, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 24, 1-17

Abstract: In urban areas where increased density has caused loss of urban open space (UOS), there is a need for high-quality parks that are inclusive and fit for multiple user groups. To make parks more inclusive, UOS management may need to consider multifunction and the perspectives of various age groups in future development and maintenance activities. Walking interviews were conducted in a park in central Landskrona, Sweden, with children, adolescents, and elderly users, and also with the head park manager of the city. The results revealed different perspectives among the three age groups of users concerning affordances and UOS management. The manager described user-oriented management to support multifunction and inclusion, including user participation. All user groups studied showed an appreciation of liveliness, contact with nature, social places for their own age group, clean and safe parks, and a variety of different atmospheres and activities in the park. Social multifunction can be developed in programmed or non-programmed ways, but some functions interfere with each other. UOS managers can develop parks to suit different age groups, promote user participation within management, and develop social multifunction to create inclusive parks for various age groups.

Keywords: affordances; green space management; social multifunction; urban public space; user participation; user perspective (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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