SLIC

CABE Space asks the public: ‘Do you really care about parks?’

CABE Space’s Manifesto for Better Public Spaces has so far gained the support over 300 organisations with a combined membership of over 3.5 million people. CABE Space is now calling on the public to support the Manifesto and to say what they think about their parks, play areas, and green spaces in our towns and cities.

The Manifesto aims to create a national consensus that parks and public spaces should be a political and financial priority. Well-designed and well-maintained parks and public spaces have been shown to have a positive impact on health and well-being, ecology, crime and public safety, and cohesive communities. The findings will be presented to key decision makers at the Sustainable Communities Summit in January.

Julia Thrift, Director of CABE Space, said:

“The Manifesto has the support of a wide range of organisations. These include Arup, the Eden Project, The National Trust, The Corporation of London, the Ramblers Association, the Women’s Institute, Foster and Partners, and many city councils, to name a few. Now we want to hear the views of individual people. It’s time to have your say.”

Already people have written in to complain that there is no maintenance budget for the local park, or to say how much they appreciate challenging and interesting play areas for their children. Others have written simply to say how much they value an opportunity to escape city life during their lunchbreak. Anyone can comment, and you can also find out more about current supporters and read some of the comments CABE Space has received already.

Signatories also include garden designer Dan Pearson, author, broadcaster and winner of four Chelsea Show awards, who said:

“My involvement in the creation of a small community garden at Bonnington Square in Vauxhall, London, gave me first hand experience of the transformative effect of green space in a run-down urban area. The conversion of a derelict playground into a community maintained garden provided the impetus for a significant regeneration, resulting in renewed local pride in the area.

However small, a park which takes the needs of local people into consideration provides an engaging, restorative, therapeutic and educational environment of benefit to all who use it. A well-designed public park should be an aesthetic place for contemplation, relaxation, and physical activity which allows us to cope with the stresses of urban/modern life while also teaching us about our relationship with nature and the environment.”