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• More visible ‘parkforce’ is the key to better, safer parks

• Date:

  7th September 2005

• Contact:

  Sarah Egerton

• Organisation:

  The Civic Trust

Every urban park in England should have dedicated staff present during daylight hours to encourage people back into green spaces that have in the past been under-used and blighted by graffiti, vandalism and fear of crime, says a report out today from CABE (the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment).

The report - Parks Need Parkforce - argues that a return to the days of on-site staff is essential to maintain and accelerate the remarkable revival seen in many neighbourhood parks over the last 10 years. It raises concerns that the millions of pounds of capital investment made in recent years could be wasted if people don’t feel comfortable using understaffed parks, which are allowed to fall into decline again. Recent research showed that two-thirds of mothers would never allow their children to play in parks unsupervised. Nine out of ten women said that ‘regular foot patrols by police, community wardens, or park attendants’ would allay their fear of using parks (1).

Launching the Parkforce campaign, Julia Thrift, Director of CABE Space says:‘This is a critical time. In the last decade great improvements have been achieved in parks. These changes must now be made irreversible. We urgently need a new ‘parkforce’ to ensure our parks are maintained as vibrant parts of our urban communities. We want a return to old-fashioned public service values delivered by a new multi-skilled, 21st century workforce.”

The report charts the emergence of this new modern ‘parkforce’, made up of wardens, rangers, youth workers, volunteers and environmentalists that are bringing about a revival of England’s parks. Combining the knowledge and pride of the traditional parkie with a wide range of new skills, (such as fundraising, community policing and environmental skills) the new ‘parkforce’ can reduce cultural and racial tensions, cut incidents of anti-social behaviour and vandalism and empower communities to become more involved in their own green spaces.

CABE’s research shows that while the role of the ‘parkforce’ may vary from place to place, the benefits to communities are the same everywhere. When staff are introduced to parks, it creates a virtuous circle of improvement: better maintained parks are perceived to be safer so more people use them, making them feel even more safe and encouraging greater use.

The report calls on local authorities to work out the needs of each park in their area and consult with residents on an action plan. Councils are encouraged to identify new funding streams for parks and existing staff that could join the ‘parkforce’, by joining-up different teams, such as neighbourhood wardens and community support officers. The ‘parkforce’ should also be made visible and accessible by means of clearly identifiable uniforms and the placing of signs in the parks with telephone numbers so that staff can be contacted whenever users need them.