Neighbourhood Parks

Neighbourhood Parks generally serve the immediate residential population, approximately 2,000 people who can walk to the park. It is preferred that these parks be 0.6 ha to 1.2 ha in size, but due to a variety of factors they can be less.

Neighbourhood parks should:

• Be centrally located in the neighbourhood (sometimes in concert with a school)
• Have sufficient local residential roadway frontage to provide a secure environment
• Feature some residential development facing the park rather than backing onto the park to enhance safety and security
• Serve a population within 1 kilometre preferably not obstructed by major arterial roads
• Not have significant topographic challenges to gain access to the park or major physical barriers
• Should not generate significant traffic or noise.

Typically neighbourhood parks provide playgrounds, passive recreational open space, non-bookable recreational spaces, trails, picnic areas, irrigated turf, trees, shrubs and park furniture. These parks could also be developed to address a site-specific need such as a Heritage Park or preservation of a unique ecological feature. These sites must be serviced by all utilities. Neighbourhood parks are generally not fenced to improve aesthetics. Generally off-site parking is not provided, but if it is, it must be locked in the evening.

Consideration of demographics is also important in park design. It may not be appropriate to build a neighbourhood park with a playground in a high-density area, but more appropriate to build a passive and safe park. These sites are designed to be used from dawn to sunset, but park security lighting should be provided.