Reassessing urban park accessibility: an improved two-step floating catchment area method based on the physical activity services perspective

Abstract

Urban parks, as important carrier of outdoor physical activity, can effectively reduce the incidence of chronic diseases and promote public health. The accessibility of parks directly affects residents’ levels of physical activity. However, current accessibility assessments do not consider physical activity needs into account and are unable to adapt to the current developmental needs of a healthy China. We propose a framework for evaluating park accessibility oriented towards a physical activity service perspective. First, we introduced a park attractiveness index based on physical activity preferences. The index encompasses not only objective park features but also subjective environmental perception features, which are evaluated using deep-learning techniques. Furthermore, the size of the park catchment area was correlated with the park attractiveness index, and the likelihood of park selection based on people's physical activity preferences was computed. Fuzhou City's Gulou District was selected for this case study. The results show the following: (1) Our proposed evaluation model can identify more underserved neighborhoods in scenarios geared toward physical activity requirements than traditional approaches. (2) The distribution of parks in the Gulou District was not sufficiently balanced, with the accessibility value at the 90th percentile only slightly higher than the average value of 6.35. There was obvious spatial differentiation, with a pattern of high values in the central area and low values in the surrounding areas. (3) Approximately 12.70 % of the population is located within service-blind zones and the overall level of accessibility is poor. This study offers novel ideas and approaches for optimizing the spatial layout of urban parks within a health-oriented framework. This aids planners and policymakers in enhancing the spatial layout of parks and ensuring equitable access to urban parks that foster physical activity.