The public's image of urban parks: Past amenity, present ambivalance, uncertain future

Abstract

There is little systematic information about the public's use and perception of natural settings in cities, yet such information would be extremely useful to managers, planners, and people who use urban sites for recreation and leisure. This research reports two studies which focused on the public's ‘image’ of urban parks. The contributions of these studies include the definition and measurement of image, analysis of relationships between image and behavior, an intervention to change the public's image, and application of research results to park management and planning needs. Results from surveys of residents living near parks in three New England cities reveal that park image is a substantial and consistent predictor of an individual's decision to use a park, and that the descriptive component of image (knowledge of the park) can be improved significantly by a mailed brochure. This process of understanding the needs, interests and concerns of park users can improve the opportunities for urban recreation and can enhance the public's image and use of urban parks.