Park-Use Behaviors and a Pilot Park-Use Promotion Program in Minneapolis: Implications for Addressing Health Inequities

Abstract: Partnering with the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, the authors implemented a pilot park-use promotion program in summer 2011 in three low-income, culturally diverse neighborhoods in Minneapolis. The program was designed to encourage park use through active information sharing and incentive mechanisms. Along with the program, the authors conducted baseline and follow-up resident surveys in the neighborhoods to examine demographic differences in park-use patterns and effectiveness of the program. They found significantly lower levels of park use, especially in cold weather, among Blacks, foreign-born residents, low-income residents, and working parents in singleparent families. They also found positive evidence that the pilot park-use promotion program effectively changed residents’ perceived information barriers of park use and their park-use behavior. The research upon which this article is based was supported by a grant from CURA’s Faculty Interactive Research Program.