Counting Park Users
October 1, 2004
How many people visit the parks in your city? Do they go once a year for a festival, or every day to walk the dog? Do they prefer a park with a playground or one with benches by the lake? How long do they stay? What would make their experiences better?
Many park managers feel that since they aren’t in the profit business counting is an expense and a headache they can dispense with, but getting a sufficient appropriation for parks is as dependent on strong numbers—counting users—as its equivalent on the private side.
This article originally appeared in Planning magazine, December 2004.
Additional resources:
"Understanding Park Usership," by Chris Walker (formerly of the Urban Institute).
