Urban parks around the world have evolved from their historic recreational role into a catalyst for community development and enhancement. Parks are an essential component in transforming and enriching our cities.
• physical activities, like people playing, walking or dancing
• business activities, such as markets and cafes
• cultural activities, such as art and community events
• or simply for socialising with friends, relaxing and watching the world go by.
Many of today's urban parks have a variety of activities and recreational opportunities which attract a diversity of people, the young and not so young, who are often simply looking for a place to sit or walk. Parks provide shaded places and opportunities to buy food or a coffee. The surrounding communities embrace visiting them and realise the enormous value to their neighbourhoods.
There are several steps involved in creating a successful local park, one that is important as a community place. At the core of the process is a back and forth discussion with the people who will belong in that space.
This was the approach that was employed during the Community-led Design process for Ponsonby Park. It began with understanding the community's desires and concerns about the space, and then the process flowed on to determining how the assets of the community might be used to develop a plan and design for the park. The process was embraced by the community and led to the development of a ‘community vision’ for the site at 254 Ponsonby Road and finally culminated in the LandLAB design being chosen for the site by the community.
Like all good parks, it provides for a range of things to do, with flexible spaces for a multitude of activities suiting different age groups and each of the user groups who would wish to use the space. It is easy to get to, and is connected to the surrounding community with good all-weather use and accessibility. It will be safe, clean and attractive and there are places to sit for comfort and relaxation. Most important of all is its sociability. Ponsonby Park will be a place to meet new people and old friends, an integral part of the community.
Today, everyone knows city parks contribute significantly to the quality of urban life. They integrate the cultural lives of neighbourhoods. Once stage one of Ponsonby Park is developed it will enrich our neighbourhood exponentially. We have held this vision for over three years and we now look forward to the commencement of building the physical part of stage one of Ponsonby Park. Hooray! (JENNIFER WARD)