Parks and playgrounds are an important feature of cities. They are the gardens of the urban community, and will bring nature into the city and be the green lungs of urbanity. Playgrounds and schoolyards are increasingly treated as part of the park system.
Parks should include a circuit to allow a nice walk, run, bicycle tour, ride etc. Quiet areas should be found, and the design should be very carefully developed for activities so as not to annoy the people coming to have a quiet time. Parks can include dams for rowing, swimming pools etc.
Commercial activity should be allowed very sparingly.
Parks are artificially constructed, and are normally not a copy of nature, but often made to create a romantic landscape. Some times nature takes over, attracting birds and animals, and plant growth that is not controlled.
Parks are democratic cityspace – we do not pay to enter – citizens go there to experience nature, most often by walking.
Fundraising and lobbying for parks are often necessary to finance new green areas and maintaining the old ones. Politics are always involved, and in many countries there is public and private cooperation on parks. Many people contribute money, often small amounts, and labour as volunteers in parks, as a rule their own park.
Groups of volunteers are often very active. Partnerships can be found for parks, providing workshops, training, small amounts to local projects. Local involvement is necessary to ensure good parks. Local activists are sometimes engaged in fundraising for special projects.
It is a good idea to establish standards with requirements for the parks in a city. This has also to do with environmental justice - equal rights – the citizens are the owners of the parks – not the bureaucrats or the politicians.
The neighbours of the parks can contribute: companies, institutions – in order to develop a nice area to be in. This can force out inhabitants due to price increases?
This is sometimes linked to principles of habitation: Most employees of the municipalities are supposed to live in the city.
Run down parks are a pain! Order must be kept, tags must be removed, and guards must have certain presence.
The bicycle road system of a city are sometimes integrated into the park system.