Sometimes, the smallest features matter most when it comes to the best parks. There are certain amenities that may seem inconsequential yet make all the difference when it comes to visitor experience. Don’t get us wrong, at MRC Recreation we love designing huge playgrounds, creative splash pads, and functional outdoor fitness parks; but we also believe attention to slight details make a world of difference and truly transforms public spaces. Site amenities from waste receptacles, to benches and tables, to bike racks, to shade enhance both comfort and usability for everyone coming to the park. Let’s discuss why, and how to make design considerations.
Comfort and Convenience: Encouraging Longer Visits
When there is nowhere to get a drink of water, sit comfortably, throw away litter, or use the restroom, plain, open spaces become ineffective parks. By providing a few essential amenities, you’ll create a place that helps families and visitors stay longer. A few key choices would be:
- Seating & tables: A place to sit and get some work done in the fresh air, to have a comfortable picnic with the whole family, or even to host camps and summer programs.
- Drinking fountains: An important element to provide that allows families to stay longer and stay hydrated.
- Waste receptacles: Keep your park clean! Waste receptacles encourage people not to litter.
- Shade: A fundamental element to keep everyone in the family comfortable and safe, whether on a hot sunny day or during a flash rainstorm.
- Restrooms: We’d argue this is one of the most important amenities, despite the cost. Restrooms are pivotal in keeping people at the park all day long, as they won’t have to leave the park to use a bathroom.
User satisfaction is not the only outcome of providing these top choices for amenities. In fact, we’d say user satisfaction is just a happy consequence of providing inclusivity and accessibility at the park. These are the real goals, ensuring that everyone feels safe and capable in their community’s public spaces.
Functionality and Flow: Supporting a Space That Works
Choosing which amenities to add to your park is the first step; creating a functional design for your choices comes next (and is equally important). By placing equipment thoughtfully, you can effectively manage park traffic and activities. For example, placing picnic tables and benches near playground equipment allows older family members to sit and relax while keeping an eye on children at play. Waste receptacles positioned close to restrooms and a comfortable distance from the seating area keeps litter controlled. Placing bike racks alongside trails and pathways provides a quick place to lock up bikes and keep them out of high-traffic areas. This makes parks safer and ensures people using mobility devices can comfortably make their way through the park without obstruction.
Designing with People in Mind
Accessibility and inclusivity are always at the top of our designers’ minds. Therefore, when approaching park design choices, we focus on universal design. Universal design principles put people with disabilities and seniors at the forefront. Here are a few considerations we have yet to mention:
- Connections to the street: Paths into parks should meet the street at grade, whether through landscaping existing surfacing or including ramps and stairs.
- Variety: Public spaces serve That means lots of different people with differing needs. Provide choices, opportunities, and a mix of sensory spaces.
- Seating, seating, and more seating: Comfortable and accessible seating, wheelchair parking spots, seats options in the sun and shade, and moveable seating are all reasonable considerations based on your community’s needs.
- Proper lighting: A consistently well-lit space is crucial to keeping people safe – especially deaf people, those with low vision, seniors, and women.
We don’t want you to feel overwhelmed when making design choices. That’s why we’re here to help throughout the entire process, from equipment selection to thoughtful layouts. We want to help you design community spaces that people want to use.
The Finishing Touch That Makes the Difference
Site amenities are not extra touches; they’re essential elements that make parks and public spaces great. They provide comfort, convenience, and accessibility. Through attentive design choices, your park can become an inclusive public space that provides a valuable experience for all the different kinds of people in your community. And, as an added bonus, people will be able to spend hours on end enjoying their local park.
Explore our full line of site furnishings or connect with your local MRC representative to start your design a space built for comfort, connection, and community.
