In these days of catering for increased diversity in gender, age, desire and use, it is important that built infrastructure is flexible, safe, sustainable, low maintenance and has multipurpose capabilities as well as being economic in running costs and energy consumption. Building design, in terms of the associated heating, lighting and air conditioning needs, is one aspect. Swimming pools have their own special requirements. Outdoors considerations of surfaces for playing fields, courts. trails and tracks that minimise carbon emissions and heat island impact from the production, maintenance and in-situ effects are equally important. How are we rising to these collective challenges?  

Climate, ecology and adaptation are increasingly important as our climate continues to change. Parks have a critical role to play in facing the challenges of urban heat, water quality, air quality and protecting biodiversity. Increasingly parks are responding to flooding, storm water, coastal hazards and other significant water issues. In many places pollution is a growing concern, including air, water, light and noise pollution. Our parks are often termed ‘the green lungs of the city’, but there is also pressure to use these spaces for activities and to harden surfaces. Increasing tree canopy cover is vital, but ecology is more than trees. Interpretation and education are important elements of improving public knowledge and understanding of these benefits.

How are we ensuring that our outdoor spaces are liveable and sustainable for people, plants and animals?

Whether indoor or outdoor, sport and other physical activities take a central place in the culture of our communities. They give meaning, and offer opportunities for connectedness, physical health and fitness, mental wellbeing as well as leadership and personal growth. Whilst organised sports play an important role in encouraging physical activity, we face challenges in encouraging activity in some community demographics. Sporting bodies are rethinking standard rules and introducing modified rules to suit young and older age capabilities. People are increasingly preferring less structured activities – like walking and cycling. Inclusion, gender and culture must be taken into account in our plans to ensure a wide variety of opportunities are available. Do we need to re-assess the allocation of sporting spaces, which may have been based just on historic decisions? Informal (but active) recreation is vital - not everyone wants to be organised or play competitively!

How, in program design, are we dealing with these challenges in facilitating flexible and well-used opportunities, responsive to community needs.

It is critically important to truly understand what it means to create “parks for everyone”. Much of our provision, design and use of public space has often been based on ‘the way we always do this’ or the views of more powerful, loudest or more numerous groups in our communities. in some parts of the world parks were created by colonial theft, the implications of which are important and complex. Some statues and monuments represent people and events that don’t tell the stories of the places that reflect the culture and values of contemporary communities, or that colour history in inaccurate ways. History is important for our education (learning from the past) and indigenous history is part of that. Even cemeteries and art galleries (featuring past landscapes and life styles) are part of this background. Spaces have different meanings to different users and community groups. Public shared space is used remarkably differently throughout the world, reflecting the variety of meanings and values it holds for users and communities. If parks are for everyone, how do we best consider the uses of parks for people without homes?

How are we creating opportunities to be truly inclusive, equitable and welcoming to meet diverse needs now and into the future?

As urban areas become more densely populated public places become busier and more contested. Public open spaces are becoming more and more precious, they are more than just spaces without structures – they can offer places of peaceful refuge and community connectedness. The “nothing” of open spaces is one of its greatest values. Yet in many cases public space is assumed to have no economic value, and is “free” land that can be used to accommodate public infrastructure (e.g.to solve traffic congestion), ‘privatised’ space and even residential sprawl. In some places settlements of desperately poor or displaced people have taken over public parkland. As the economic value of residential land in our cities continues to increase, this tension between the tangible and intangible value of public space and the need for residential and infrastructure (like transport corridors) is palpable.

How are we harnessing the economy of our cities to value parks and public spaces?

Growing cities and populations demand innovation in the way we use traditional open spaces but also spaces which can be re-imagined. Cemeteries have been part of the infrastructure of cities for hundreds of years and are now being re-designed as spaces which, not only offer spiritual and family connection, but can also play a role as welcoming passive recreation spaces. Reservoirs, drainage reserves, pipe tracks and other infrastructure routes can have great value for our communities. Recent creativity has seen the introduction of rooftop gardens, ‘slow streets’ and play streets. In addition, the technological revolution presents us with tools such as the use of more sophisticated GIS, real-time management information, data about use and activity in parks, drones, robotic grass mowers, new smart lighting technologies, citizen science and remote sensing of flora and fauna health. What are we doing to re-think the ways we use urban spaces? Collecting data about how people use parks is critical to understanding needs and may be the biggest transformation facing the industry.

How are we using automation, sensors, GIS, online tools, and smart technology and what will the future look like?

There is a growing body of knowledge and research which confirms what we know intuitively – that good quality urban parks and spaces can improve our community wellness and connectedness. This outcome does not happen by accident, nor is it free of cost. The recent pandemic well demonstrated how much people value nature and the ‘outdoors’. The health and wellbeing benefits of parks and open space may well be some of the most efficient and effective health outcomes obtainable. Playspaces especially have a crucial role in developing the physical, intellectual and social capacities of our children and adults as well.

How are we building on our knowledge and promoting these health benefits to create healthier and happier communities in our urban areas?

Leadership today is a rapidly evolving field and much has been said about leadership during and post the covid-19 worldwide pandemic. As leaders we aim to bring the best out in our people and empower and support them but what does this look like now, particularly with many workplaces now operating in hybrid models. Innovation, flexibility, and curiosity allow us to proactively respond to change. Continuous learning builds our understanding of how we can be most effective in the work we do. Best practice can only be referred to as “best” if it tested and re-established as we learn. As leaders of teams, we aim to bring the best out in our people and empower and support them to be impactful and effective in serving the community. What does successful leadership look like in this changing world with new working environments, tools, contexts and community expectations?

What has your experience been, what have your learnt, what did and didn’t work as you did, and what does leadership into 2024 and beyond look like?

note: this may be also used as a workshop or panel discussion combining submissions from several