During the Easter break, I spent two weeks in Spain, a fascinating opportunity to compare our community cultures. Especially parks.
The first thing you notice is that parks and playgrounds are well-funded and maintained in Spain, you don’t see broken playground equipment, overflowing litter bins, water features that no longer work, or general neglect and vandalism, as is the case in many UK parks.
Their parks, like the one in Aracena, are beautifully designed and looked after. It shows what a difference valuing parks for their positive impact on local communities and society makes, rather than seeing them just as a cost.
For many, a park is a pleasant open green space, with playgrounds for kids, places to walk the dog, feed the ducks, do exercise or just somewhere to relax and be mindful.
But parks are more than that and have a very positive social impact on people, communities and society, something the mayor of Aracena is very aware of.
Open spaces are critical in all towns and cities – especially in crowded and densely populated urban areas, where few have access to a garden.
Parks build communities as they are a space where people gather and can interact with others, which builds social cohesion. They also provide a place for social activities, events, workshops and festivals. Even kids' birthday parties.
Studies have shown that parks improve our physical and mental health and general well-being.
They expose and educate both adults and kids about the natural environment – many host forest schools. Parks are a haven for wildlife, not just wild kids!
They play a silent but critical part in improving the environment, providing natural cooling of the air and the trees and vegetation absorb carbon dioxide. New trees being planted are being chosen for their positive effect, while set areas are being allowed to re-wild to increase biodiversity.
As many parents face a constant battle with their kids over their use of technology, parks provide a beneficial distraction, offering alternative activities that are often physical. Although one recent survey of teens asked what they would most like in their local park surprised the researchers – expecting some novel activity, most actually wanted fast free wi-fi for their phones.
Parks also create a sense of community identity - people treat their local park as a familiar safe place they associate with their home, a place where many memories are formed.
I believe that we need to stop seeing parks as the sole responsibility of our councils and see them as community spaces that we all take responsibility for improving.
In our local park, Stationers Park we have been working to embrace many of the above, and while lack of budget restricts some of them, many simple initiatives may not be costly, like setting up community maker events. We are repurposing a redundant soft play area into an open classroom and performance space. And building a dedicated dog area for training puppies.
Parks are something we need to appreciate and value for the value they bring to our lives, communities and society.
- Chris Arnold is chair of the Friends of Stationers Park.
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