Decent parks? Decent behaviour? The link between the quality of parks and user behaviour Contents Foreword Foreword 1 When CABE Space invited people to a combination of good design, management member of staff who is based in, and let us know what they think about their and maintenance has transformed no-go dedicated to, that particular site. It is local parks and green spaces we were areas back into popular community spaces. for this reason that CABE Space is Introduction 2 overwhelmed by the passion of the campaigning for more park keepers, responses we received. Over and over This evidence suggests that investing in rangers and other parks staff. Checklist of key elements 5 again, people emphasised the very positive creating good-quality parks and green benefits they and their families gain from spaces, which are well staffed and provide We believe that investing in park staff, their local green spaces – the way in which a range of attractive facilities for the local in good design, and in the ongoing Case studies they help build a sense of community, the community, can be a far more effective use maintenance of spaces is vital if parks are opportunities they provide for relaxation of resources than, for instance, the blanket to be the much-valued community assets Mint Street Park 6 and escape, and the space they provide use of CCTV cameras. that people have told us they want. We for exercise and recreation. know that many parks offer great facilities Oldham Parks 8 The case studies in this guide include backed by very good management. But in However, they also told us about the run- real places where people who are often many parks, problems remain. Many people Tavistock Gardens 10 down parks in their areas – and anti-social marginalised and perceived as being ‘a around the country are working hard to turn behaviour was high on the list of things problem’ – including disaffected young around the poor-quality spaces – and we Pearson Park 12 that they are worried about. People are people and the homeless – have become hope they find this guide both practical concerned about the way that neglected actively and positively involved in the and inspiring. Mile End Park 14 parks seem to attract anti-social behaviour. process of transforming a space. In many They see that this in turn puts off other cases, the catalyst for this has been an Dickon Robinson CBE St John’s Millennium Green 17 members of the community, like older imaginative and energetic person – Chairman, CABE Space people and mums with kids, creating sometimes from the local authority, Sunderland Parks 18 isolated no-go areas that decent people sometimes from the community – who are scared to visit. feels passionately about transforming St Agnes Park 20 a particular park or green space. This publication is based on research that Handsworth Park 22 supports the public perception that poor All of us instinctively know whether a place maintenance of parks can, in turn, attract feels cared for or not. In the case of parks anti-social behaviour. But, encouragingly, and green spaces, those places that do Conclusions 24 it also provides examples of places where feel cared for are often those that have a References 25 We believe that investing in park staff, in good design, Useful Organisations 26 and in the ongoing maintenance of spaces is vital if parks Resources 27 are to be the much-valued community assets that people have told us they want Credits 28 1 The spiral of decline is a Introduction costly process. Budgets are better spent on maintaining quality improvements Ninety-one per cent of people is closed at night. Ultimately local solutions believe that public parks and open are necessary, although the evidence shows that investing in good design, attractive spaces improve their quality of life. facilities and good maintenance remains However, one in five people thinks the driver for improvement. that it is ‘not worth investing money in the upkeep and maintenance How much of a problem is anti-social of local parks and public open behaviour in parks? spaces because they will just There is little statistical evidence that high get vandalised’.2 Public opinion rates of crime and anti-social behaviour is therefore squarely behind taking are a particular problem in parks and positive action where anti-social green spaces. The Local Environmental Quality Survey of England 2003/4 shows behaviour does occur in parks environmental crime indicators such as and green spaces. fly-tipping, fly-posting and graffiti in public open space to be no worse than in the This publication provides practical rest of the public realm.11 The Royal Parks suggestions for improving public spaces Constabulary crime statistics show a falling in ways that can help reduce vandalism rate of reported crime annually from 2000/1 and other anti-social behaviour. It is to 2002/3.12 informed by research commissioned by CABE Space in 2004. The research, What are the key elements in achieving Park managers will find useful references created opportunities for people to observe make up the first ‘broken window’ in Wilson Furthermore, in the quarterly update to carried out by GreenSpace, involved over a sustainable improvement in the way to funding and measures of success. one another, thus discouraging bad and Kelling’s Broken Windows theory.9 June 2004, The British Crime Survey states twenty local authorities and seventy-five people behave in parks? Crime reduction professionals will benefit behaviour. In addition there were strict statistically significant falls in fear of crime community representatives concerned from insight into design and care of rules of conduct for the public. The Select The Home Office Action Plan, Together across all of the seven individual anti-social with green spaces.3 The research also looked at improvement successful urban spaces. Community Committee on Public Walks in 1833 stated Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour, notes the behaviour measures compared to the programmes of a total of thirty-six green representatives and enterprises will find that, among other benefits, the creation of impact of anti-social behaviour on ‘young previous year.13 The measures include The people interviewed by the researchers spaces in England, Scotland and Wales. models of working with land managers public parks would create an alternative form mothers, afraid to use the park with their indicators cited in the case studies as felt strongly that a decline in the quality This guidance includes nine of these case to achieve mutual aims. Designers will of recreation to the tavern and would also children and people living in streets covered problems that may affect public spaces: of a public space contributes to the onset studies, specifically selected to illustrate find a number of design-led ideas for reduce social tensions, since all members of in rubbish and graffiti’. It puts at the heart abandoned and burnt out cars, rubbish or acceleration of vandalism, anti-social important elements in achieving sustained encouraging good user behaviour. society use parks and would therefore have of its agenda the desire not just to reduce or litter lying around, people being drunk behaviour and even serious crime. As a improvements in behaviour in green spaces. the opportunity to learn from each other.5 crime and disorder, but also to support or rowdy in public places and teenagers parks and landscape development manager The case studies can provide only a limited A complement to other resources ‘civil renewal – to strengthen communities, hanging around on the streets. states, ‘nothing encourages the vandal picture of the complexity of turning a place More than a hundred years later, the report revitalise our democracy and provide more than “management by abandonment”’. around. However, they provide a rich array This publication complements CABE of the Urban Green Spaces Taskforce opportunity and security for all’.10 Environment and self esteem The most successful approach to of approaches from which to select the right Space’s policy note, Preventing Anti-Social identified the role that good quality parks addressing this spiral of decline appears ingredients for a successful improvement Behaviour in Public Spaces.4 It does not and green spaces have in fostering ‘social However, there are different approaches There is evidence to show that some people to be one of addressing the root causes programme. What unites the examples is the seek to replace other existing and highly inclusion, community development and to doing this. The research on which this are afraid of going to parks because they of the problem, rather than the symptoms. belief of the people involved that achieving a regarded guidance or positive initiatives citizenship’.6 The government’s response in publication is based provides evidence believe they will come across anti-social Even in the most extreme cases, the right successful outcome easily compensates for to design out crime. Living Places: Cleaner, Safer, Greener picked that investing in the design and care of behaviour. The Use of Public Parks in England management approach can quickly reverse the range of obstacles along the way. In up on this theme, recognising that ‘dirty and high quality public places is more effective 2003 states that eight per cent of people the decline and establish a spiral of addition, the personal satisfaction of those Background dangerous places encourage graffiti, in tackling anti-social behaviour than the did not visit parks for fear of their personal improvement. involved should not be underestimated. vandalism and anti-social behaviour’.7 blanket use of tough security measures safety.14 In Parks and Squares: who cares?, The desire to curb anti-social behaviour in such as closed circuit television (CCTV).