Quality of urban parks in the perception of city residents with mobility difficulties

PeerJ. 2020 Dec 18:8:e10570. doi: 10.7717/peerj.10570. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Urban parks should be inclusive for all. Availability and accessibility of urban parks determine the quality of life in cities. The importance of access increases for residents with limited mobility who, facing obstacles due to inadequate adjustment of the surrounding physical space, are exposed to social exclusion. Five groups of respondents completed a survey questionnaire revealing their attitudes towards green areas and indicating barriers to parks' accessibility. The groups were designed to include blind and vision impaired people, those who use a wheelchair, have a physical disability of any kind, their carers/assistants and parents pushing strollers. The results revealed more similarities than differences among the five groups (the differences included preferences towards the neighbourhood and destination parks, physical barriers in parks, as well as using assistive technology devices and mobile assistive applications). Overall, city residents with mobility difficulties find those green public spaces as an important element of their life quality.

Keywords: Blind; Carers/assistants of people with a disability; Limited mobility park users; Parents of children who use strollers to navigate in urban park; Park accessibility; Park availability; People who use a wheelchair; Social survey; Vision impaired.

Grants and funding

The authors received no funding for this work.