Better Park Design Contributes to Physical Activity Improvement

Abstract

Objective - Empirical evidence has identified that parks hold an essential role in promoting physical activity. Parks facilitate opportunities to be physically active for a wide range of users. The paper explores the effects of design intervention of Benjakitti Park, a public park in Bangkok, Thailand. Methodology/Technique – The system for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) method was utilized before and after design intervention to understand whether the design intervention improved the park users' physical activity level. A survey questionnaire of park visitors was used to understand whether they had become more active during a park visit. Finding –It was found that the design intervention changed the characteristics of park users and their activity patterns. More children and older adults' visitors were observed in the post-design intervention. An ordinary least square model of the survey questionnaire result showed that one-time park visitation was associated with an increase of five minutes of moderate and vigorous physical activity per week. The study showed that even a small design intervention could change people's behavior towards a healthier and more active lifestyle. Type of Paper: Empirical JEL Classification: C99, R19 Keywords: Public Park; Physical Activity; Landscape Design; Public Health; SOPARC. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Arifwidodo, S; Chandrasiri, O. (2020). Better Park Design Contributes to Physical Activity Improvement, GATR Global J. Bus. Soc. Sci. Review, 8(4): 260 – 266. https://doi.org/10.35609/gjbssr.2020.8.4(7)