The physical and non-physical factors that influence perceived access to urban parks

• This study empirically tests a multi-dimensional model of park access in two contrasting suburbs.
• Results indicate that park accessibility consists of physical and socio-personal dimensions.
• Physical dimension is the strongest dimension of the park accessibility construct.
• Non-physical variables such as safety and cultural similarity contribute to urban park accessibility.
• Increasing park infrastructure may not necessarily improve perceived access to parks.

Access to urban parks and green space is purported to contribute to community well-being and inclusive neighbourhoods. While accessibility has been developed as a multidimensional construct in the literature, few studies have empirically investigated the mix of both physical and non-physical factors that influence self-reported access to urban parks. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted community level surveys in Brisbane, Australia, to empirically test a multivariate model of park accessibility. We collected primary data in two suburbs with contrasting social economic status (SES) but comparable park infrastructure. Multiple regression models containing both physical and non-physical variables were developed and tested. Our findings concur with existing studies indicating lower perceived park accessibility in the lower SES neighbourhood. The most important factors influencing perceived accessibility to urban parks were physical and locational features such as proximity to the park, a pleasant walking experience, and a sufficient number of parks in the neighbourhood. Less important, but statistically significant social variables included cultural groups using the parks, shared activities, safety, and leisure time available. These findings provide empirical support for the multidimensional nature of the accessibility construct. We discuss the implications of our findings for park planning in metropolitan areas.