As attractors to cities throughout the world, urban parks not only bring economic rewards but offer people a comfortable spot to gather for social, cultural and political activities.
They also provide a new type of focus and ‘vibe’ to neighbourhood shopping precincts. Today, as centres everywhere are thinking more broadly about how to gain an economic boost, the creative use of public spaces (as seen with Takutai Square, Britomart) act as an enhanced drawcard for retail areas. High-cost developments such as malls and movie theatres, once viewed as key elements, are now taking a backseat to the new, lower-cost, high-impact strategies to foster prosperity. Increasingly, urban parks are emerging as the best way to make town centres both more commercially vibrant and prime event locations for the community.
One of the main reasons for this is that such urban spaces provide diverse benefits, at times being a place of respite for locals, a market, a venue for events, a signposting and social nexus, the list goes on. Urban parks that emerge through a community-led design process (as Ponsonby park has) are sustained by community engagement and encourage volunteering, they nurture an identity of place, and highlight a community’s unique values. They can also support a diverse community and serve as the inclusive ‘common ground’ of an area. Successful parks that are sustainable, both economically and socially, draw different kinds of people with a series of dynamic spaces that offer many choices of things to do such as: socialising, eating, reading, playing games, interacting with others and relaxing.
Urban parks were originally created so that people could escape from the dirty reality of life. Now, in the 21st Century, the best city parks are also multi-use destinations and catalysts for community development and connection.
Ponsonby park will be such an inclusive urban park; it has history, it has green space, it has food trees, it has places for kids to play, it has sustainability built into the design, it has flexibility. It can be the heart of Ponsonby and the events that are hosted there will be the heart beat.
We have a clear vision of Ponsonby Park as a magnet destination to increase visitors and help to make Ponsonby even more livable and vibrant. At lunchtimes and throughout the day, Ponsonby Park will bustle with activity as people come to enjoy performances, the shaded seating, the living wall feature and the relaxing garden areas. It will also attract residents who will adopt the park as their community space. Urban parks are an essential counterbalance to increased housing density.
Many parks are designed for limited recreational use and therefore do not attract older people, teenagers, or people simply looking for a place to stroll or sit. With dynamic programming including events such as farmers and holiday markets, exercise classes, play spaces for children and more, a vibrant and livable park for Ponsonby will be created.
Ponsonby park - your urban park. Bring it on! (JENNIFER WARD)
www.254ponsonbyrd.org.nz