How is walking access to parks measured?
A park shown near a home on a map is not necessarily reachable on foot through a suitable route. Access depends on the pedestrian network and whether the public space can actually be used.
Walking routes and park quality
1. The first step is to map usable entrances, not just the park boundary. Green land bordering a railway or ring road does not provide access on that side if there is no gate. Calculate a suitable path along the street network from each home to an entrance. UN-Habitat's neighbourhood public-space assessment uses a five-minute walk, approximately 400 metres, as a planning catchment; this threshold is neither a universal walking speed nor an entitlement boundary. 2. A closed park, restricted private access or maintenance that prevents use changes the result. Size, shade, seating, toilets and play facilities meet different needs. Two districts may have equal park area per resident while the number of usable entrances and the capacity of their spaces differ substantially. Total hectares alone therefore cannot show whether a service is distributed fairly or whether a small park is overwhelmed at busy times. 3. Examine pavements, crossings, gradients, lighting and wheelchair accessibility as separate attributes of a walking network. A park that looks close in a straight line may lie beyond a wide road with no safe crossing. A route's usability also differs for a person pushing a stroller, using a wheelchair or walking more slowly. If the shortest and safest routes diverge, report both and state the assumed walking speed.
Equity, data and interpretation
4. Adding population data shows how many people can reach the space. Building addresses, gridded population and district totals provide different levels of detail; capacity matters when comparing a small park with a dense neighbourhood. UN-Habitat's SDG 11.7 framework seeks safe, inclusive and accessible public space, particularly for children, older people and persons with disabilities. Breaking down citywide averages by neighbourhood and group can expose hidden gaps. 5. Choose a new park site according to underserved homes and walking connections, rather than vacant land alone. Sometimes a new pedestrian crossing opens an existing park to more people; if the park is already crowded, a new space may be needed. Compare before and after with the same entrance inventory, population year and network data. Ask residents about safety and actual use: a desktop map cannot replace field checks and community experience. 6. A 400 metre service area does not prove that a park is good, safe or open at every hour. Results change when the definition of public space changes; a private residential garden should not be counted as an open municipal park. Report data dates, opening hours, entrances and the street network. Children's play needs and older residents' needs for shaded rest cannot be fully captured by one distance measure; proximity is only one condition for use.