The State Of City Parks

Urban parks are a natural area with many functions, and are closely related to the lives of urban residents. They are not only the basis of urban greening, but also an important devotee of natural resources conservation.

Centennial Parklands is one of the world’s most visited public parklands, with more than 20 million visits made to the Parklands’ annually. The Park is 2.2 square kilometres in area, originally swampland, known as Lachlan Swamps and is located adjacent to another two large public spaces, Moore Park and Queens Park. The Parklands are administered by The Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust, a NSW Government agency whose responsibilities cover low-lying wetlands, ornamental lakes, pine and native forests, expanses of grass, to playing fields, a golf course, tennis and netball courts and the Entertainment Quarter at nearby Moore Park. Centennial Park is one of Australia 's most famous parks and is listed on the Register of the National Estate. [3]

The use of special districts to administer parks and recreation services originates from a successful experiment by New York City in SSSS. The city created a commission to depoliticize the provision of parks and recreation services, which led to the development of Central Park. Following this model of success, a number of states now have some form of park district that span a range of services, including open space protection, land conservation, environmental education, and leisure activities. Local governments increasingly offload parks and recreation responsibilities to special districts because they require large capital investments and they benefit from district boundaries drawn according to public use. The impact of tax limitations and pressure on general funds also encourages development of park districts. Flickinger and Murphy () provide insight from a park director in Illinois who believes special taxing status is essential because park and recreation departments tend “to take a back seat to streets, police, fire, utilities, and other ‘mandatory’ services when time came to set or cut budgets and hire qualified personnel” (1990, p. 153).Though parks and recreation are a common form of district, research evaluating its success is limited in both quantity and scope.

Since the early 1920s to the 1970s, there has been a debate regarding the perceptions and standards by which national parks should be established and limiting the expansion of national parks, limiting access for people living in urban areas and threatening open spaces due to urban sprawl and over population. Gradually traditional perceptions gave way to the preservationists’ viewpoints which redefined and gradually expanded federal definition of national parks. This was to include areas that may not be extraordinarily scenic but still required environmental protection or allowed recreational access for urban citizens, allowing for expansion and more funding.

Trees and plants provide the cure for various ailments. The therapeutic process also has a spiritual side. Finding harmony with the natural world is an essential step toward complete healing. When one is sick and fails to get better it is often believed that the cause is the inability to build a strong connection with nature.

I had the opportunity to assess the needs of the Rosewood and Rockwood plaza in collaboration with OHSU, Human Solutions and Wallace medical Concern. I am following up with a recommendation that Human Solutions consider implementing a roof top community space and garden on the Rockwood plaza building. This recommendation is evidenced by a variety of studies, government reports, and models that show how community space and the built environment contribute to the physical, mental, and social well-being of individuals and communities (design for health.net). These individual and community health benefits can also contribute to the health of the broader community and have a positive influence on the environment. The integration of the built environment to promote health outcomes has been shown to have significant impact on both the individual

After the civil war, America worked diligently on a way to recreate a national identity and national pride; however, the country was in disarray - rapid migration into cities caused overpopulation, widespread diseases, and horrendous living conditions. This highlighted the separation of the country, people wanted to forget and move past the Civil War; however, it appeared as if no one knew where to start. Manifest Destiny - being the belief that Americans have a divine right over the land influenced the decision to establish national parks, as well as clean up the cities. National parks were the way in which the country healed; they created a sense of American pride in their beauty and grandeur, while the muckraking journalism called to maintain the identity national parks created.

Volunteer and Green Lake parks are different in several ways. First, they have different views. For instance, Volunteer Park has different kinds of views, such as many types of flowers with different colors. The flowers are red and white. Also it has some sculptures. On the other hand, Green Lake Park has just one view, which is the lake with the sunset. Also, those two parks have different locations. Volunteer Park is located in a quiet place on the main street while Green Lake Park is located on a small street. Moreover, Green Lake Park has many restaurants around it such as coffee shops and stores whereas the volunteer park is located next to houses. Second, they have different buildings. In particular, Volunteer Park

When individuals visit these natural settings, not only do they improve their health by engaging in physical activity, they also may be revitalizing their mental and spiritual health. Many people that visit parks and recreational areas do so because they offer a feeling of peace, comfort, and solidarity that they may not be able to find when recreating in an urban setting. Because mental and spiritual health is just as vital to someone’s well being as physical health, access to places as halcyon as national parks should be a right to anyone who desires

The principles behind ecotherapy are not new. In the past, mental health institutions were often situated in pleasant gardens and natural landscapes. But these considerations no longer play a significant role in the planning of urban and rural space – in the design of hospitals, the treatment and care of people experiencing mental distress, or the identification of public health and social care priorities.

In society, everyone is attached and more focused on technology rather than the nature and wildlife of planet earth. Some people might argue that the parks or green spaces produce too many greenhouse gases which will pollute the cities. However, our cities already have a lot of pollution so if greenhouse gases are added to the mix it won’t be of any harm. People also argue that parks take up land space that could be developed for retail and the use of natural resources. Parks actually help contribute to the economy because it helps in the real estate market and ticketed events are held there which contributes to the community's economy. Not only is the fresh air good for your body but walking around the park can help improve overall health and bring down obesity levels. America

As the urban landscape grew, so did the need for public spaces. In a presentation at the Lowell Institution in 1870, Frederick L. Olmsted prepared a paper at the request of the ASSA which addresses the relationship between the growth of cities and the need and purposes of public parks. Olmsted asserts that movement to urban areas will likely increase and towns will continue to rapidly grow. He then goes on to explain that due to densely populated areas and poor air quality, diseases are more common and overall life expectancy is lower. Olmsted’s chief reasoning for creating public parks was

> This was an important point made in the article as it places emphasis on how interaction with the environment can increase a person’s overall well-being: physical and mental. Many clinicians that I know will communicate to their clients the importance of engaging in nature to reduce depressive symptoms; they communicate that mental grounding and nature activities will improve self-confidence and provide clients with a sense of altruism and purpose.

Urban parks are defined in their comparative and contrastive relationships to the urban environments surrounding them. Although frequently conceptualized as natural landscapes, the physical and social uses of parks give

The use of nature in the hospital setting has been used to reduce stress and provide a getaway not only for the patient but for visitors and hospital staff as well. A review article by Ulrich, Quan, Zimring, Joseph, and Choudhary (2004) summarized the role of physical environment which included nature. Nature is emphasized in providing a distraction for the patient from their illness and the hospital setting. (Ulrich et al., 2004) Simply using pictures of nature has been found to reduce anxiety and reduce the dosage of pain medications of patients in the ICU. (Ulrich, 2004) The presence of nature through a bedside window was found to be just as beneficial in improving the patients’ recovery and well-being. (Ulrich 2004) The presence of nature dramatically reduced the agitation of Alzheimer’s patients when bathing with recorded nature sounds. (Ulrich, 2004) Hospital gardens can be a direct source of nature in proximity for patients that are easily accessible. Scenic art can be soothing in comparison to a white wall. The descriptive colors can stimulate the mind and provide a focal point away from medical devices. All these examples support the claim that nature does remedy the stress patients feel in the hospital setting. It allows patients to relax and have a sense of calm when confronting the daunting idea of fighting for their lives against a sickness. Nature provides an escape that is outside the white walls of the hospital. Patients can forget for a moment that they are