Exploring the often fraught relationship between public spaces and social divides
Parks & Public SpaceSummary
When the pandemic struck America, the economic disparities became strikingly clear as “the ability to live in a place where you can safely get your needs met is a privilege of the few”. As public health indicates the benefits of public spaces – including social benefits, enhanced trust, collaboration, neighborhood engagement and social cohesion – racialized minorities often have less access to such quality spaces. Research has shown that countries that possessed higher areas of green spaces reported much lower racial disparities, including black and white COVID-19 infection rates. Thus, to better improve and enhance this relationship, a study took place in Flint, Albuquerque and Boston which found that to improve racial disparities, investments in public spaces must be done so in a way that allows them to be cohesive, reflective, and vibrant.