Revitalising Public Spaces: Ideas for Parks and Recreation Areas

With the summer holidays coming up, it's a great time for Town and Parish Councils to focus on improving public spaces. Parks and green spaces add value to communities by encouraging exercise and providing places for socialising and community events.

The Impact of Green Spaces on your Community and our World

Green spaces are important for both community well-being and the environment. Here are a few reasons why improving public spaces are important for a healthy community:

• Biodiversity: Green spaces provide homes for lots of plants, animals, and insects. By taking care of these areas, councils can support wildlife and increase biodiversity. For example, Wakefield   Council have planned to increase their Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) by a minimum of 10% by improving wildlife habitats such as grasslands, hedgerows and woodland. 
• Environmental Benefits: Green spaces improve air quality by filtering pollutants and producing oxygen therefore helping improve air quality. On average, one acre of green space can absorb about 2.6 tons of CO2 annually. Planting trees and allowing wildflowers to flourish can help reduce greenhouse gases and fight climate change. 
• Health and Well-being: Public green spaces offer areas for exercise, relaxation and socialising which contribute to a healthier community. Nearly half of the UK population found visiting green spaces helped them through the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrating the need for more green spaces to aid overall wellbeing.

It's easy being green...

With the daily responsibilities of a council, making time for public spaces can be tough. Here are 10 simple and cost-effective ideas to help you get started:

1. Get your community involved: Organise volunteer days for tasks like planting trees, maintaining pathways and cleaning up litter. This will help build a sense of community community as well as giving your volunteers pride in their space.
2. Themed gardening competition: Host a gardening competition where participants create gardens based on specific themes (e.g., fairy gardens, sustainable gardens).
3. Partner with local businesses: Local businesses may present an opportunity for partering with your park improvements in exchange for recognition or advertising. For example, a local garden centre may donate plants, tools or event staff to help with the work you have planned. 
4. Recycle and upcycle materials: Look into using recycled materials for park improvements. For example, using unused wooden pallets to become benches, or old tyres as planters.
5. Native plant gardens: Create gardens using native plants, which require less maintenance and support local wildlife. Planting native plants helps create a biodiverse ecosystem allowing insects and other animals to thrive.
6. Art by local artists: Work with local artists to create murals and sculptures to enhance the vibrancy of your community. Look to hold group sessions to help get your community involved while also helping to promote the artist your working with.
7. Community events and fundraisers: Host events like farmers' markets, craft fairs or outdoor movie nights to raise money for park improvements and bring the community together.
8. Organise a “Friends of” volunteer group: Encourage community members to take part in helping to maintain the space. A volunteer group can keep up with maintenance tasks and boost the sense of community. Once a regular routine is in place, suggest hosting a ‘friends of’ volunteering group to get volunteer friends and families involved. This not only helps with the work that’s needed but also provides an opportunity to promote the hard work the organisation does.
9. Educational Signage and Nature Trails: Set up signs about local wildlife and historical landmarks. Create nature trails with markers to encourage your community to explore and learning.
10. Green Space Grants: Town and Parish Councils can apply for various grants to support park development, providing vital funding for communities. For more information, take a look at the various green space grants councils can apply for.
    

Further reading

• Access to green space in England | Friends of the Earth
• Types of greenspace - Forest Research
• Green Space Index | Fields in Trust
• Access to green space in England - GOV.UK
• Zurich| How are local authorities responding to climate change?

 

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