An Exploration of the Influence of Recreation Benefits and Use of Public Parks: The Impact on Sense of Community in Neighborhoods

The purpose of the present study was to explore what influence public parks have on the sense of community of the residents living near parks. Respondents were chosen from within the service area (0.5 miles) of five parks in Norfolk, VA They rated their park experiences and answered sense of community and demographic questions. Confirmatory factor analysis identified five different dimensions in measuring the SOC levels. Correlation and regression analyses identified the extent of the influence that recreation participation had on sense of community of residents. Results confirmed that recreation use of parks positively influences SOC. Due to the existence of physical barriers such as major roads, a comparison of the means analysis (independent sample/test) of SOC levels in residents of areas adjacent to a park and of areas separated by a barrier was conducted. Results indicated a significant difference of the SOC level in the two groups. As a result of a the large number of people not using public parks, a comparison of mean analysis was conducted to reveal the extent to which the two groups differ m their SOC level. The results indicated a significant difference between users and non-users, with significantly higher SOC levels reported by the users. The results of the present study were then discussed in the context of previous research on SOC and recreation benefits of park use. Conclusions about the effects that public parks have on SOC were made and possible areas of related future research were proposed.