Park users’ perception and preference of public park in Bogor City post Large Scale Social Restriction (LSSR)

On 31st March 2020, Indonesia pulls out a large scale social restriction (LSSR) policy to depress the spread of Covid19. The regulation leads to the lay-off of schools, workplaces, worship places, and public facilities, including public parks. Despite the time, it is only a matter of time until the new normal and reopening of all public facilities. For that, public parks as public facilities should be prepared in a way before it is reopened so as not to worsen the situation or even create a new pandemic wave. It is an excellent opportunity to build better by applying health protocol for a healthier future, and transforming the future sustainable landscape. This research is studying two public parks in Bogor City, a satellite city of the megapolitan Jakarta area, which affected the most by Covid19, i.e.,, Sempur Park and Kencana Park. This research aims to explore users’ perceptions and preferences of using public parks to plan health protocol for public parks in the new normal era. Data collected through an online questionnaire survey. As much as 192 responses are analyzed. Data and instruments are valid and reliable, with an overall Cronbach alpha value of 0.896. Results showed that the perception of park use pre-LSSR and post-LSSR was significantly different. The trend of park use was similar but at different levels. This indicates that the motivation and willingness to visit and use public parks is decreasing, therefore applying health protocol is a necessity in the future. This study also found that existing parks perceived to be quite appropriate in accordance with health protocols and need to be moderately modified. Another finding was that the considered most required health protocols application were procurement of handwashing facility, park benches placed at least 1 meter apart, and solitary park bench. It is elicited that despite the type of park, the visitors’ preference was the same.

Urban Park Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Are Socially Vulnerable Communities Disproportionately Impacted?

The COVID-19 pandemic altered human behavior around the world. To maintain mental and physical health during periods of lockdown and quarantine, people often engaged in outdoor, physically distanced activities such as visits to parks and greenspace. However, research tracking outdoor recreation patterns during the pandemic has yielded inconsistent results, and few studies have explored the impacts of COVID-19 on park use across diverse neighborhoods. We used a mixed methods approach to examine changes in park use patterns in cities across North Carolina, USA, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an emphasis on impacts in socially vulnerable communities (based on racial/ethnic composition and socioeconomic status). First, we surveyed a demographically representative sample of 611 urban residents during August 2020 to assess their use of outdoor park spaces before and during the pandemic. Second, we used cell phone location (i.e., geo-tracking) data to document changes in park visits within 605 socioeconomically diverse urban census tracts before (July 2019) and during (July 2020) the pandemic. Data from both methods revealed urban park use declined during the pandemic; 56% of survey respondents said they stopped or reduced park use, and geo-tracked park visits dropped by 15%. Park users also became more homogenous, with visits increasing the most for past park visitors and declining the most in socially vulnerable communities and among individuals who were BIPOC or lower-income. Our results raise concerns about urban park use during the COVID-19 pandemic and suggest pre-existing health disparities in socially vulnerable communities might be exacerbated by inequitable access and utilization of parks and greenspace.

Neighborhood built environment impacts park use of diverse, low-income mothers and their children

Built environment features, including parks, often exacerbate health disparities. We examined built environment perceptions and park use among a population at high risk for physical health outcomes: racially diverse, low-income mothers across the United States. Perceived safety from crime and living near a park were associated with more frequent park use for mothers and their children, and neighborhood walkability was linked to longer park visits. However, only 40% of mothers lived within a ten-minute walk from a park, and perceptions of walkability and safety from crime were low. To enhance physical activity and health of low-income mothers and their children, investments are needed to close disparities in park access and improve neighborhood safety.

The New, COVID-Driven Outdoor Recreationists in the U.S.: Who They Are, Who They Aren’t, and Who Will Stay Involved

As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the United States, many residents began participating in outdoor recreation for the first time, or returned to outdoor recreation after a prolonged hiatus. During the first year of the pandemic, many parks in the U.S. experienced record visitation as overall park and protected area visitation increased across much of the country. Part of this increase in visitation was likely the result of existing outdoor recreationists who increased their participation during the first year of the pandemic because of restrictions to other types of leisure activities. However, it is possible that much of the increase in outdoor recreation and park use was the result of a recreation substitution, as new outdoor recreationists either tried outdoor recreation for the first time or returned to outdoor recreation because they could not do their more preferred means of recreational activities (e.g., go to bars, movies, gyms, etc.). Research concerning these new participants is sparse at present (Grima et al., 2020; Outdoor Industry Association & Naxion Research Consulting, 2021). Therefore, the research detailed in this report focuses on the results of a national panel study aimed at gaining a more robust understanding of both 1) how these new outdoor recreationists differ from other participants and non-participants and 2) the behaviors of these new outdoor recreationists. In doing so, we provide insights concerning information used by new participants to aid their transition to outdoor recreation, how helpful this information was, what activities they participated in, where they participated in these activities, and if they plan to continue participating once the pandemic is over.

Possibilities of Application Cement By-Pass Dust into the Garden Architecture Elements

This article deals with the possibility of using cement by-pass dust (CBPD) in the garden architecture elements, specifically in curbs for park use. To increase the positive effect on the environment, other secondary raw materials were also used in the research, specifically blast furnace granulated slag and silica fly ash. Mixtures were based on alkali activation, where cement as a binder was 100% replaced by raw materials with waste properties. In the research, properties of used materials and also the basic physical-mechanical and durability properties of prepared mixtures were determined Part of the research focused on the effect of the tested beams on the grassland planted around the beams. Any significant negative impact was not registered, except for low pH increase of soil. Infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis were performed on selected samples. Testing has shown that the products are in accordance with the Czech standard requirements for concrete curbs in garden architecture. The samples did not pass only the scaling test, which is, however, a condition for concrete curbs used for roads. For garden architecture this test is not required.