Parks should be multifunctional.
appeal to a range of users and provide for year round enjoyment. Incorporate
simple, uncluttered areas which are flexible and adaptable to a range of
activities and allow multiple users to happily coexist. Work together with the
community to accommodate their needs, allowing for a variety of uses and
Create multifunctional spaces which support a variety of different sports
Sports environments are precious resources for our communities and are most efficient if they support a wide range of activities. Create flexible and multifunctional sport environments that allow for the greatest possible number of people to enjoy them.
Do this by:
- engaging representatives from regional sports organisations (RSOs), existing clubs, community groups and Local Boards to understand how the site is currently used and who could use it in the future, and what facilities are required
- providing large, flat, well-drained areas which allow fields to be moved laterally or re-orientated to reduce wear
- ensuring fields are designed specifically for the activities they will be used for, including field dimensions, turf design, turf species selection, drainage and lighting
- maximising availability by ensuring the facility’s capacity meets current demand and future expectations.
Encourage activity for all ages, ethnic groups and abilities
Understand local community needs and provide parks with a variety of spaces, activities and events to enable everyone in the community to participate and enjoy their local park. Provide activity areas for different types of park users to help bring people together and build stronger communities.
Do this by:
- consulting with the community regarding any specific cultural recreation needs which can be met, and design to accommodate those activities
- encourage the involvement of children and young people, and ensure the design responds to their needs
- investigate if there are markets or other community events which could be accommodated on site. Incorporate the necessary supporting elements sensitively, so as not to limit the flexibility or use of the sports environment.
Integrate informal recreation opportunities
Incorporate opportunities for others in the community to enjoy sports environments in a less formal way. Link walkway and cycleway networks through sports parks to encourage healthy activity.
Do this by:
- engaging with the community to learn how they’d like to use this space
- designing facilities that accommodate the ways local people would like to use the park
- ensuring walkways or shared-use pathways link well with the wider network
- incorporating walking circuits around sports fields where possible
- incorporating play spaces, skate parks, fitness equipment or basketball courts, to offer a range of options for being active
- locating playgrounds and seating facilities next to sports fields and courts, so that sporting families can stay together in the park
- incorporating trees or other shade structures to provide shady relaxation areas for park users (carefully consider the location of the trees so that they will not diminish other park features or hang over playing surfaces uses as they mature).