Park Features, Infrastructure and Design

Park features, design and infrastructure vary widely and influence how the park is used. Parks with playgrounds and water features attract families with children. Parks with a lush tree canopy provide shade spaces for summer picnics and casual gatherings. Parks with sports fields attract spectators and players. While some parks have community centres, rinks, fieldhouses and washroom facilities, others may just be an open field.

It is a good idea to know the features of each park and how the park is used. There are parks that feature forests, lakeshore, ravines and/or watersheds and may have protected, environmentally sensitive areas not suitable for arts programming but which may be enjoyed through guided nature walks by conservation organizations and volunteer groups. Some of the features that attract artists to a park can also be the elements that make it difficult to use the space or attract attendees.

The following elements play an important role in determining which parks are suitable for which arts activities:

Natural Terrain
Artists are often interested in the geography of a site and, in some cases, it’s the reason they wish to perform in a specific space. Geography influences attendees as well: hills, uneven ground, or an absence of walkways can present navigation difficulties for attendees and can discourage people with mobility issues from attending, reducing the scope and inclusion of an event. To ensure your event can be attended by all, select locations that are physically accessible and place the event in an area that has the least barriers.

Built structures
Field houses, playgrounds, sports fields, picnic tables, benches, walkways, recreation trails, shade structures and lighting are all features that influence whether people use a park and how they use it. A park void of any of these features may have very few users. Some parks have what most would consider ideal infrastructure for an arts event, such as a stage or an outdoor amphitheatre, but these elements don’t guarantee success. Entering a dark park often makes people feel uneasy and vulnerable, and therefore some will avoid entering the space at night. If your event will go past sundown, make sure that there is adequate lighting in place.

Washrooms and Drinking Water
Feedback from artists, staff and volunteers suggests that a consistent problem is lack of access to washrooms and water fountains. No access to washrooms or drinking water affects everyone – artists, attendees, volunteers, and staff – but can be especially taxing on artists who are fulfilling a residency or are at the location all day rehearsing for a show. If these amenities don’t exist at the location, consider providing a temporary equivalent (i.e. portable washrooms).

Parking
Not all parks have access to on-site parking. This isn’t much of an issue for smaller community-focused events but can become a problem for larger scale events such as festivals. Transportation and access to parking are important to consider if you plan on attracting a large audience outside the local area and/or if the artists will need to transport equipment. If you are planning an event in a residential community park where street parking is the only option, consider drafting a parking plan utilizing attendants (volunteers or staff) to direct attendees where to park. Another option is to rent a private lot or direct patrons to a nearby mall or other large public car park and provide a shuttle to and from the park. Ensuring parking is relaxed and orderly will go a long way in gaining the trust of the community and not having your event declined the following year.

Park Size and Wayfinding Signage
The size of a park also affects how people interact with the art while it’s there. A smaller park makes it easier for park goers to engage with what is there, whereas larger parks can make it hard for people to find the event, or easier for them to ignore it. If you are going to be in a large park, clear and identifiable wayfinding signage is important so attendees can find the event site easily.

“This was an amazing experience. This opportunity enabled me and my team to create and to exhibit the installation in an ideal green public space.”

- Artist, 2018