Spending time outdoors is always almost magical. Being able to enjoy nature, breathe fresh air, and bask under the warmth of the sun makes anyone feel in a better mood and be healthier.
That is why towns and cities always have dedicated community parks for their citizens. It provides a space for adults and kids alike to gather, play, and have fun outside.
Having a local community means that surrounding communities are able to take advantage of the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing that it offers. Nonetheless, there is always room for additional elements and new projects to better improve your community parks.
Why Your Community Park Layout is Important
Before going ahead though and deciding on what improvement to add to your local community park, you need to consider its overall design. The arrangement of your neighborhood park is just as important as what is contained in it.
A community park should have enough space for visitors to play and socialize. There should also be areas dedicated for those who wanted to stay somewhere quiet and comfortable to rest, reflect, and observe.
When planning on improving our local community park, keep in mind that there might be visitors who plan on holding meetings and other events. Thus, building structures that offer a quieter and relaxed space is crucial.
Benefits of Community Parks
These are some of the benefits of having a thoughtfully designed community park:
One, it encourages a healthy lifestyle. It is not uncommon for most Americans to have a sedentary lifestyle. That is why the country’s obesity rate is alarming.
With busier lifestyles, focusing more on school and work, a lot have lesser opportunities to stay active. Moreover, not everyone has access to workouts at a gym.
Community parks though could offer this chance of embracing a more active lifestyle. With some pull-up bars, leg lift loops, and athletic fields, anyone regardless of socioeconomic status could enjoy a safe space to exercise.
Second, community parks offer a perfect spot for private family gatherings and public special events. A good community park offers spaces for different entertainment opportunities. Children and adults should be able to socialize with friends and family, go on a date, play sports, and relax.
Though community parks typically offer some shelter to picnickers, having barbecue pits, benches, and gazebos would be nice additions.
Third and lastly, community parks offer an opportunity for both young and old to be more environmentally aware. Especially for those living in urban areas, parks are the only place where they get a chance to enjoy nature’s beauty. So why not increase your city’s effort in improving your local parks?
Ways You Can Improve Your Local Community Park
1. Free Library
For some people, having a chance to read a book or a magazine at the park is beyond comparison. Being surrounded by nature, sitting on a bench shaded by a tree, hearing birds chirping and distant sounds of children’s laughter, who does not enjoy that?
Encourage and support these avid readers by building a small free library in your community park. One way to do it is by initiating a “take a book, share a book” program. Not only can people share their favorite books with others, but it fosters strong community bonds.
2. Build a Central Hub
All community members feel welcomed if your local community park is designed for multiple activities. As mentioned, a good community park offers different areas where one could socialize, play, exercise, relax, converse, and reflect.
Urban planners and architects highly advise on creating “rooms” for individuals who want to gather and converse while at the park. These “rooms” could be terraces, overlooking shelters, and pavilions.
Also, highly suggested is to add elements of discovery to your local community park. Both kids and adults would love opportunities for exploration through games, kiosks, and trail signages. Dedicate these features to showcase the local history and surrounding geology.
Do not forget as well to improve communal spaces like restrooms. Replace old bathroom partitions or stalls with new ones. After all, it is not only those aforementioned areas you should beautify.
3. Reclaim Public Spaces
Most cities have public spaces which are left unattended. These areas become an eyesore as it continues to collect debris, dirt, and vandalisms. Local communities though can turn these unloved public spaces into something beautiful, like a community garden.
Plant some perennial flowers and plants to make your city’s environment lovelier. We all know invigorating it is to see greeneries flourishing outside.
There are plenty of picture-worthy moments and sceneries in your community park. Snap them and post them on your community’s website or social media pages.
