Good public spaces provide opportunities for both social life and personal space – gathering with friends and neighbours, or sitting quietly and watching the world go by. In so doing, public spaces also support the health and well-being of community members – by enabling social interaction, and also by providing key ingredients to support healthy living – whether trees, landscaping, cultural or recreational opportunities. To support these aspects, public spaces work best when they are safe spaces and comfortable for all users.
The VPSN’s “Social, Health and Safety” work covers all of these areas and more. To find out more, check out the sub-pages for each theme below.
Recent Updates:
- VPSN Letter to City Council regarding proposed surveillance cameras on Granville Street (Feb 2018)
Social Well-Being, Social Inclusion, Social Use of Space
A great public space is not static. The “three S’s” all refer to the notion that the social dynamcs of public space are key! People are the essential ingredient when creating a lively public space.
Healthy Spaces
Good public spaces support goals of health and well-being in a number of ways, whether by enabling opportunities for social connection or quiet reflection, or by providing place for beneficial recreational activities for people of all ages.
Public spaces should be comfortable. Everyone should be free to enjoy them in relative safety – whether this means safety from the elements, traffic, or harrassment. An emphasis must be placed on good design and improving opportunities for natural surveillance and “eyes on the streets” – rather than ineffective technological “fixes” like CCTV. | Learn more…