5 Innovative Ways to Revive Urban Parks for 21st Century Cities

[AMIT GANGULY]

A refreshing experience

 

At the turn of the 20th Century,the majority of Indians lived in Rural areas and small towns.However, at the beginning of 21st century,every 4th Indian is a city dweller. As a city dweller as myself,many of us are in desperate  need of open spaces and refresh ourselves in the outdoors. 

City parks improve our physical and psychological health, and make our cities and neighbourhoods more attractive places to live and work. However, too few Indians are able to enjoy these benefits. More than 70% percent of Indian City Dwellers live in areas that  are severely lacking in park space. Only 10-20% percent of City residents live within walking distance of a nearby park. Also it has been seen that Low-income neighbourhoods populated by minorities and recent immigrants are especially short of Open spaces. Hence, there is a strong need to address such imbalances. 

 

Some of the steps that will Promote Urban Parks are as follows - 

 

1. Urban Parks as Community Places 

India is a country of festivals. Festivals such as Diwali or Holi must be celebrated in parks. This provides a wonderful opportunity to enliven and enlarge the public realm of the city. Green spaces, Meditation centres and Hiking trails should be built in new age Urban parks for enhancing the Community Engagement. Walking Roller Coaster ride is an exquisite example  of how Open Urban spaces can be made more Socially Engaging.

 

2. Parks as Playgrounds for Poor Neighbourhoods 

In poor neighbourhoods, most of the Schools have poorly designed School-yard. Simply slabs of asphalt surrounded by barbed wire fences, with a locked gate. For a few hours each school day, children use them to burn off steam,and the valuable land gets no maintain-ance  after schools hours. Thus, through Public Private partnership such Schools can rent upPlay-Yards in Urban spaces specifically designed for them.Such Social proposition will be beneficial for both the Neighbourhood and the Urban park.

 

Hiking,Biking,Nature Trail ..U just name it !! 

 

3.Tax-Free Biking to Work Through a Park

Urban Parks should be designed in such a way that Biking trails create a short and exciting route to your work. Also, Tax Free cycling schemescan be promoted by NGO's through Government schemes for Green Transportation. Designing such Urban Landscapes will necessarily pave way for promoting Urban parks and Green Transportation. More so, if the existing Parks can be designed with Spaces where people can Dock there Electronic devices and Work then the purpose will be doubly benefited. 

 

4. Parks as Recreation centres for Youth

Parks can serve the purpose of Youth Development community-based activities that help them build essential skills,knowledge, and aptitudes.The assets both children and youth need for their  development fall into the major domains -  physical, intellectual, psychological

and social. Community based programs that are Fun can help both Kids and Youth to acquire skills in any of the 4 domains. Organizing a Debate competition on Ecological benefits of park, Promoting Hiking and Biking for the youth and planting a community garden are all physically challenging yet intellectually stimulating activities of youth development. Also, Eco Friendly Gyms for the Youth should be developed and promoted.

5. Rain Water Harvesting, Recycling and Reuse Centre 
As the catchment area is large,Parks present huge opportunity for Rain water harvesting.The water collected can be used for ground water table enhancement, and for Public Water supply for nearby neighbourhood. More so, through Public-Private partnership NGO's can demonstrate Recycle, Reuse activities and organize such events. Thus, Urban Parks can Promote Sustainability within the vicinity.


Mahatma Gandhi ji  has said - “The earth, the air, the land and the water are not an inheritance from our fore fathers but on loan from our children. So we have to handover to them at least as it was handed over to us.”  

It is the responsibility of the City Administrators and Concerned citizens that this Era of Relentless building of Pavements and Concrete must be regulated and Green Areas must be promoted. This will enhance the quality of life for every city dweller. Thus, using such innovative methods Urban parks can be integrated into the Busy lives of us City Dwellers.

 

I will end the post with this amazing experience of Best Parks around the world from Sustainable Living tips - http://www.sustainablelivingtips.net/2009/09/worlds-best-urban-park.... 

Enjoy the virtual tour ..

[KANCHAN KUMAR ROY CHOWDHURY]

Good.

[KANCHAN KUMAR ROY CHOWDHURY]

Good.

[Gunwant Joshi]

Thanks for raising this very important issue in the forum. Most urban parks or green spaces are rightly considered as the lungs of a city as they provide much needed breathing space for near by residents and the visitors to the city who might be spending much of their day in the nearby dense downtown or central business locations. These large open spaces also provide refuge for a wide variety of bird and animal life and many showcase the flora that is indigenous to the local region.

Capital city of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal has lot of these open spaces which were initially developed as the urban forests. Of late,  some of these open spaces are facing pressure of encroachments from the illegal settlers and are also being neglected mainly because there is  a sense of unconcern in the nearby local communities or perhaps they are considered to be the duty of the government. It is high time that the civil society and the local self government functionaries should come foreword and take up the measures you have rightly pointed out.

These efforts should be immediately scaled up in other parts of the country as well before it is too late

[GOPI KANTA GHOSH]

Wonderful suggestion