Renovations of neighbourhood parks: long-term outcomes on physical activity.

Background: Neighbourhood parks are places designed to support physical activity, but are often underutilised. Park renovations are major improvements to the quality of these spaces and usually attract more park users. This study assessed changes in the use of six San Francisco neighbourhood parks and park-based physical activity levels over a 6-year period, during which five of the six parks were renovated.

Strategic and integrated planning for healthy, connected cities: Chattanooga case study.

The United States is facing unprecedented health challenges - such as obesity and cardiovascular disease - many of which are related to a lack of or insufficient physical activity. Maintaining or creating parks and other public recreation facilities that promote physical activity is particularly important for combating these. This brief describes a strategic planning initiative, known as "Healthy, Connected Chattanooga.

Impact of park renovations on park use and park-based physical activity.

Background: Given the concerns about low rates of physical activity among low-income minority youth, many community-based organizations are investing in the creation or renovation of public parks to encourage youth to become more physically active. To what degree park renovations accomplish this goal is not known.

Methods: We used the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) to measure park users and their physical activity levels before and after 2 parks were renovated.

Partnerships for parks and physical activity.

Purpose: Given the need for comprehensive and multidisciplinary active living interventions, this article describes an innovative partnership for park design and evaluation.

Design: The Trust for Public Land partnered with the RAND Corporation and the San Francisco Department of Public Health to generate context-sensitive active park design, establish evaluation methods, and build the framework for future collaboration.

Setting: These partners worked together from 2009 to 2012 to design, renovate, and study parks in San Francisco, California.