Livable Communities – Public Spaces and Buildings

Livable communities have safe and accessible public spaces and buildings—ranging from green spaces to places of civic engagement to places for commerce—that help foster a sense of community and mutual caring. They are designed and built to provide a foundation for true neighborhoods and opportunities for intergenerational connectivity. And they accommodate users of all ages and abilities.

Recommendations for Communities

_____ Increase access to parks, school playgrounds and other recreational facilities in underserved neighborhoods.

_____ Establish community gardens in strategic locations.

_____ Ensure that public buildings and spaces are accessible for all users and designed and located to enhance community safety and promote opportunities for intergenerational interactions.

_____ Rehabilitate blighted, vacant and otherwise underutilized properties.

_____ Encourage diverse use of public spaces and buildings.

Resources

• Placemaking for an Aging Population: Guidelines for Senior-Friendly Parks
• Streets as Places: Using Streets to Rebuild Communities
• Model Joint Use Resolution
• This Land is Our Land: A Primer on Public Land Ownership and Opportunities for Recreational Access
• Building in Healthy Infill: A Guide for Improving Public Health Through Development
• Dig, Eat and Be Healthy: A Guide to Growing Food on Public Property
• The ADA and City Governments: Common Problems
• Americans with Disabilities Act: ADA Guide for Small Towns
• ADA Update: A Primer for Small Business