Urban Parks and Psychological Sense of Community

Abstract

Parks and other urban natural spaces are increasingly becoming recognized as valuable for supporting socially healthier urban communities. Currently, however, there remains a relative shortage of empirical research specifically evaluating the relationship. This study explores psychological sense of community (PSOC) and its relationship to urban parks, using survey data collected in Norfolk, Virginia. Regression, t-test, and chi square analyses were used to examine how park use frequency and proximity are related to overall PSOC and its components. Our findings suggest that park use has a relationship to PSOC among respondents in our sample. More significantly for park planners and managers, our results also suggest that the presence of nearby parks, regardless of visitation, also has a positive relationship to PSOC.

Keywords:

• psychological sense of community
• urban parks
• park use
• park proximity
• park perceptions