Associations between use of renovated urban parks and perceptions of social cohesion in diverse New York City communities

TL;DR

Renovated urban parks in New York City are linked to stronger feelings of community trust and cohesion, especially among middle-income and minority residents.

Contribution

This study shows that park renovations can boost social cohesion in historically underserved urban communities.

Findings

More visits to CPI-renovated parks correlated with higher perceived social cohesion and trust.

The strongest effects were seen in middle-income and minority groups.

Renovated parks may help improve community bonds in disinvested urban areas.

Abstract

Social cohesion supports urban community functioning and mental and physical health. High-quality neighborhood green spaces have the potential to improve social cohesion by fostering social connections among community members. The Community Parks Initiative (CPI) is an equity-focused initiative that led to the redesign and renovation of urban parks in diverse New York City neighborhoods with a history of disinvestment. We analyzed cross-sectional, population-representative survey data (n = 2,000) from eight neighborhoods with recently renovated CPI parks to assess the relationship between self-reported renovated park use frequency in the past month and perceived neighborhood social cohesion, measured by the Social Cohesion and Trust (SCT) subscale of the Collective Efficacy Scale and the Sense of Community Index (SCI-2). Linear regression models showed that each additional CPI-renovated park visit in the past month was associated with higher perceived social cohesion and trust (SCT β = 0.012, 95% CI: 0.008–0.016) as well as higher perceived sense of community (SCI-2 β = 0.464, 95% CI: 0.335–0.593) after adjusting for sex, age, race/ethnicity, income, employment, education, use of non-CPI parks, and park site. Stratified analyses showed the strongest associations among individuals with annual household incomes of $75,000–$150,000 (SCI-2 β = 0.854, 95% CI: 0.491–1.217) and among Non-Latino/a Black (SCI-2 β = 0.478, 95% CI: 0.243–0.714) and Latino/a individuals (SCI-2 β = 0.676, 95% CI: 0.480–0.871). These findings highlight the potential of high-quality urban green spaces in promoting positive perceptions of community social cohesion, particularly in middle-income and minority communities.

Figures