How Built Environment Characteristics Influence Social Interactions During Neighbourhood Walks Among Urban Inhabitants

Sina Kuzuoglu (), Troy D. Glover, Luke Moyer and Joe Todd
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Sina Kuzuoglu: Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Troy D. Glover: Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Luke Moyer: Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Joe Todd: Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 11, 1-17

Abstract: As an accessible and low-risk mode of transportation and recreational activity, walking both produces and is produced by socio-spatial urban features. The health benefits of walking transcend physical fitness, remaining integral to mental health and to fostering social connectedness in urban communities. Understanding what drives walking behaviour, therefore, warrants attention from a public health perspective. This qualitative case study focuses on the social interactions of inhabitants during neighbourhood walks and how built environment features influence walking patterns and experience. Using diaries, maps, and semi-structured interviews with 45 inhabitants of a mid-sized Canadian city, this research investigates the influence of permanent and temporary physical features on the perceived quality of inhabitants’ walks. The findings show the public visibility of urban modifications influences walking behaviour and improves social interactions, leading to a heightened sense of belonging and community. Inhabitant-led modifications in the urban space were mostly neighbourhood-bound and voyeuristic, whereas administrative interventions were more successful for collectivization. Both types of interventions are argued to foster social connectedness through different mechanisms, with positive impacts on inhabitants’ health and wellbeing. The findings underscore the relevance of community-led and administratively planned interventions in built environments in positioning public health policies associated with social cohesion and connectedness.

Keywords: placemaking; right to the city; urban walking; built environment; health and wellbeing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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