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Neighbourhood amenities and health: Examining the significance of a local park

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  • Plane, Jocelyn
  • Klodawsky, Fran

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a qualitative study that examines the links between neighbourhood spaces and quality of life for nine formerly homeless women who live in a supportive housing development in Ottawa, Ontario. It explores a local park that participants subjectively identified as the most meaningful place influencing their health and quality of life. Looking at the neighbourhood from the participants' perspectives, this paper discusses the links between access to nearby urban green space, feelings of well-being, and having a sense of belonging to the broader community. The primary methods used in our study were photovoice, whereby participants were asked to take pictures of both healthy and unhealthy aspects of their neighbourhood, and participant observation of the women's interactions with their immediate and neighbourhood living environments. The participants used photographs as a tool to help describe their experiences of the park as not only a therapeutic or health-promoting place, but also an un-therapeutic or health-denying place. Participant observation helped fill the gaps that women were unable to articulate in the interviews. The results reveal that participants placed more emphasis on inclusive (free of charge) social events and the ability to interact with others at the park than on its aesthetics. This finding supports the notion that while beautification certainly has value, resources to support free community events in public spaces are at least equally important for establishing feelings of inclusion in the community among marginalized populations.

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  • Plane, Jocelyn & Klodawsky, Fran, 2013. "Neighbourhood amenities and health: Examining the significance of a local park," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 1-8.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:99:y:2013:i:c:p:1-8
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.10.008
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    5. Liamputtong, Pranee & Suwankhong, Dusanee, 2015. "Therapeutic landscapes and living with breast cancer: The lived experiences of Thai women," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 263-271.
    6. Christopher Justin Jacobi & Darren Thiel & Nick Allum, 2020. "Enabling and constraining successful reablement: Individual and neighbourhood factors," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(9), pages 1-22, September.
    7. Greig, Abbie E., 2023. "“This family and the Games are my world”: Conceptualizing the British and European Transplant Games as therapeutic landscapes," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 337(C).
    8. Viniece Jennings & Omoshalewa Bamkole, 2019. "The Relationship between Social Cohesion and Urban Green Space: An Avenue for Health Promotion," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-14, February.
    9. Daley, Kiley & Castleden, Heather & Jamieson, Rob & Furgal, Chris & Ell, Lorna, 2015. "Water systems, sanitation, and public health risks in remote communities: Inuit resident perspectives from the Canadian Arctic," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 124-132.
    10. Chongxian Chen & Weijing Luo & Haiwei Li & Danting Zhang & Ning Kang & Xiaohao Yang & Yu Xia, 2020. "Impact of Perception of Green Space for Health Promotion on Willingness to Use Parks and Actual Use among Young Urban Residents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-21, August.
    11. Power, Andrew & Bell, Sarah L. & Kyle, Richard G. & Andrews, Gavin J., 2019. "‘Hopeful adaptation’ in health geographies: Seeking health and wellbeing in times of adversity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 231(C), pages 1-5.
    12. Sara Ronzi & Lois Orton & Stefanie Buckner & Nigel Bruce & Daniel Pope, 2020. "How is Respect and Social Inclusion Conceptualised by Older Adults in an Aspiring Age-Friendly City? A Photovoice Study in the North-West of England," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-29, December.
    13. Bell, Sarah L. & Foley, Ronan & Houghton, Frank & Maddrell, Avril & Williams, Allison M., 2018. "From therapeutic landscapes to healthy spaces, places and practices: A scoping review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 123-130.

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