New Report Shows Access to Large Parks is Not Equal ( continued from page 24 )
connectivity and accessibility to the broader park network. Finally, we also combined adjacent parks that were interrupted by gaps of 20 metres or less to account for parks split by road and infrastructure networks, but otherwise functioning as contiguous greenspace. The intent was to recognize that the Golden Horseshoe is a substantially urbanized region where it is reasonable to expect that a large park user may encounter some interruptions and infrastructure while visiting a large park. In a densely populated areas like the Golden Horseshoe, large parks are particularly valuable, as they provide an opportunity for people to escape into nature. However, as the region is expected to reach a population of 15 million by the year 2051, parkland must also continue to grow to keep pace with the needs of residents. To maintain the current rate of large parkland for residents, almost 32,000 hectares of additional parkland must be created over the next 30 years. This is a rate of 1,400 hectares per year. Another key finding is that access to large parks within this region is not equal. Our research found that 30 per cent of Visible Minority and Low-Income neighbourhoods have low access to large parkland, as well as over 47,000 children. Additionally, 55 per cent of neighbourhoods with high ratios of Indigenous populations have low access to large parkland. This is problematic, given that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Report acknowledged that indigenous health and well- being are seen as inextricably linked with the land. Some jurisdictions across the Golden Horseshoe have been working to prioritize Indigenous voices and partnerships. An example cited in the report is Credit Valley Conservation (CVC), which has made commitments in their strategic plan to explore Indigenous co-management of lands. What’s more, large parks are not easy to get to for many residents of the Golden Horseshoe. Research shows that being out in nature reduces stress, improves well-being, and contributes to physical
health. However, 1.7 million (or 1 in 5) people in the GH have no access to large parks within a 15-minute walk, 400,000 people have no access to large parks within 15 minutes of cycling, and 235,000 people have no access to large parks within 30 minutes of transit. Further details about current and planned parks, areas of low accessibility, and details about accessibility for underserved populations, as well as accompanying maps are included in the full report. In order to address these supply challenges in both park supply and equitable access, we engaged stakeholders from across the region to understand barriers to the creation and operation of large parks, and then to develop strategies to help overcome these barriers. Through this process, we identified the following strategies:
1) Establish a regional strategy and strengthen intergovernmental coordination. 2) Employ innovative strategies and
partnerships to increase the size and quality of the large park network. 3) Improve effective funding mechanisms for large parks. 4) Centre equity and accessibility in park planning. After identifying these strategies, we sought to find models or case studies from jurisdictions in Canada and globally that could be replicated or borrowed from in the Golden Horseshoe area. The report includes at least one model or case study that speaks to each strategy, including: Ontario’s Greenbelt; Melbourne Australia’s suburban parks strategy; the green infrastructure network in Surrey, BC; the Anishnaabek Land Trust; and models of indigenous co-governance from Auckland, Aotearoa-New Zealand.
As an overarching recommendation, park planners, funders, and policy makers should approach all
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Ontario Parks Association
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