Resumen de Evaluating the quality of mid-sized city parks: a replication and extension of the Public Space Index

Jocelyn Evans, Sara Z. Evans, John D. Morgan, Jamie A. Snyder, Frances P. Abderhaldene

• The current study evaluates the quality of 60 city parks in Northwest Florida, using the Public Space Index developed by Vikas Mehta.

  This index combines the following five dimensions of public space:

  inclusiveness, safety, comfort, pleasurability and meaningful activities. It uses 40 variables to score public spaces across these five dimensions. The analysis serves as a replication and extension of the PSI in a mid-sized city environment. The findings attest to the utility of this methodological tool for the study of public space across urban environments, on a larger scale, and across disciplines. However, the discussion and implications suggest the limitations of the PSI for use in smaller cities and less urban environments. The study concludes with specific suggestions for adapting the measures of the PSI to more appropriately capture the quality of public space in these settings.