Assessment of the Selena Butler Park Renovation--2 years post development Grant uri icon

abstract

  • The vision for this project is to provide empirical evidence to measure any potential value that parks and recreation have on the health and vitality of an urban African American community in Atlanta, Georgia. Specifically, we will determine the extent to which renovations to Selena Butler Park, an urban park located in downtown Atlanta just minutes from the Martin Luther King National Historic Site, have an effect on the following: ? the health and physical activity of adults living within walking distance of the park ? the use and perceptions of the adjacent public park ? perceptions of crime nearby and within the park and its effect on the use of the park ? identification of resident concerns and priorities for park management and improvement Approach In order to accomplish the aforementioned research objectives, the research team will use a longitudinal survey approach. Surveys have already been completed in 2011 and 2012. Work to Be Performed ? Survey Development o A survey about health, physical activity behaviors and community perceptions will be developed ? Survey Data Collection o The survey will be distributed to selected households living within one mile of the Selena Butler Park. Data collection will follow a modified Dillman approach to include two full mailings and a reminder postcard. ? Report of Findings o Data entry, cleaning and analysis o Researchers will provide a draft report of findings from the comparing 2013 survey data to findings from 2011 and 2012 (previous contracts) prior to April 30, 2014. o Researchers will provide a final report of findings from the pre-post comparisons prior to May 31, 2013.

date/time interval

  • August 2013 - May 2014