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How do or should parks and green spaces serve older adults?
First, parks and density go together.
Parks are public places that serve multiple purposes; theyre kind of like the citys living room.
We care for 1,200 monuments and 23 historic house museums.
We look after 650,000 street trees and two million more in parks."
NYCgovparks.org
If you visit China, youll see people playing games in one park location and exercising in another.
The parks are gathering places where people come to meet.
When I was in China, most of the people I saw in the parks happened to be seniors.
My hope is that the same thing can happen and probably does happen right now in New York City.
Parks can be places where grandparents can take their grandchildren for a walk and to play.
Parks become a stage where people can participate in activities and see so many things happen.
Theres often a tension between the desire for development and the desire for green space.
Whats your argument on behalf of green space?
You cannot have private spaces without public spaces.
Now, Im talking about the whole public realm sidewalks, alleys, parks, open spaces.
to have density and development, you need open space.
They go hand in hand.
To me, thats critically important to any project we put forward.
For any project its important to remember that green space cant just be leftover space.
It has to be active, usable, public space that is designedintothe project.
It has to be meaningful space that serves a specific purpose for residents.
It has to be accessible to people who have disabilities, to seniors and to adults pushing a stroller.
Green spaces needs to be thought through so they complement the development.
Parks and outdoor amenities such as benches, picnic tables and amphitheaters can be gathering places.
There are a lot of different ways people are approaching this.
People are using parklets both temporary and permanent ones to add more to the public realm.
A lot of things can be done within existing playgrounds and within the street.
You have to look specifically at what works for a particular community and whats authentic to the local population.
There are loads of ways small interventions can pay big dividends.
Whats already age-friendly about New York City, and what about the city can be age-friendlier?
In terms of already being age-friendly, number one is definitely the public transit system.
New York is a well-connected city.
Thats certainly something we can improve on over time.
I want to ensure that paving patterns are smooth and easy to walk on.
Some cities use paratransit as a default.
What doesyourideal Livable Community look like?
I call my livable community an equitable city.
It has access to jobs.
Its residents have access to goods and services and quality schools.
Its a place where people move to and never want to leave.
And they dont have to leave.
They can grow up, raise a family and age in place.
Its a community where people have the social web link and support structure they need.
Thats what I call a livable, complete community, and its everything that AARP is pursuing.
Aldea Douglasis an urban planner and certified aging-in-place specialist.
At the time of this interview she was a project manager on the AARP Livable Communities team.
Article published April 2014, page updated July 2019
