Evaluating the impact of park renovation on park-based physical activity: a natural experiment in Belgium with two years of follow-up

Parks are valuable resources to promote physical activity (PA) among all ages. However, studies investigating the longer-term effect of park renewal on park-based PA are scarce and have not been conducted in Europe. This study builds upon prior research investigating the immediate effects of a total park renewal in Belgium on park-based PA. Specifically, it examines the overall and age-specific effects of the renewal one year and two years after its completion, providing insights into the longer-term impact on park-based PA. A natural experiment was conducted by observing the behaviour of the park visitors in two urban public parks (i.e., intervention and control park). The intervention involved extensive park renewal, including increased size, adding outdoor fitness equipment, a multi-use sports cage, six playgrounds targeting children of different ages, various benches, wheelchair-accessible picnic tables, wide concrete pathways, and removal of low vegetation. Observations were performed before, immediately after, and one and two years after the renewal using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities. The number of visitors observed sedentary, walking or vigorously active were recorded according to age group and mean PA intensity levels were calculated. General(ized) linear models were fitted to assess the effect of the renewal on visitors’ PA in the park. Overall, an increase was observed in the total number of visitors engaged in sedentary and vigorous activities one and two years after the renewal. However, no evidence for effects were found for the total number of visitors observed walking or for the mean PA intensity levels of the visitors. There were some age-specific differences: the number of adults and older adults observed sedentary increased, whereas no such effect was found for children or adolescents. Positive effects were observed for the number of adolescents, adults and older adults observed walking. Additionally, the number of children, adolescents and older adults engaging in vigorous PA increased in the intervention park compared to the control park. Extensive urban park renewal can increase both sedentary and active visitor numbers one and two years post-renewal, although effects vary across age groups.