Public parks are fantastic additions to any community. Not only do they provide a place for your residents to meet and socialize, but they’re considered an amenity that will increase the property value of your community. In order to get these benefits, however, you need to know ways to make public parks safe for visitors and keep them feeling comfortable and secure.
Regular Maintenance
If you’re going to build a public park, you need to be committed to providing regular maintenance. Playgrounds are a common and popular addition to public parks because they give kids a place to play and socialize. However, a playground falling into disrepair can quickly become a hazard. Know when to repair or replace equipment so that families will want to visit the park.
Maintaining Visibility
Another way to make public parks safe is by ensuring the visibility within your park is clear—easy to see in and out of the park. This makes it easier for parents to watch their kids as they play, and if anyone can easily peer into the park, you’ll avoid any suspicious activity from taking place. At night, there should be plenty of proper lighting to keep the park visible. This also allows any late-night visitors to safely navigate their way through the park.
Traffic Management
By traffic, we mean foot traffic. You want to avoid as much overcrowding and collisions as possible during busy seasons—like summer—when people will visit the park most. This is accomplished with the careful planning of pathways and entryways. You want pathways that are convenient and allow visitors to get to different parts of the park through a different path if another is already filled with people. Multiple entryways will also help make the flow of traffic exiting and entering the park much smoother.