Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Park Use in U.S. Cities

AbstractIntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic focused attention on city parks as important public resources. However, it is unknown how city park use in 2020 compared to prior years and whether COVID-19 may have exacerbated racial/ethnic inequities in access. Moreover, traditional methods of measuring park use present major drawbacks.MethodsWe analyzed monthly mobility data derived from a large panel of smartphone devices, cross-referenced with a database of parks locations sourced from local agencies. We assessed park use trends in 44 of the 50 most populous U.S. cities from January 2018 to November 2020 using interrupted time series regressions. We also compared parks to other city amenities (e.g., gyms and libraries).ResultsBased on a sample of 5,559 city parks, park visits declined by 14.6% (95% CI [9.2, 19.7], p < 0.001) from March through November 2020, compared to prior levels and trends. When we segmented the COVID-19 period by time of widespread closures (March-April) and partial-to-full reopenings (May-November), we estimated a larger reduction during closures (35.7% reduction, 95% CI [33.5, 37.8], p < 0.001) compared to the reduction during reopenings (8.0% reduction, 95% CI [1.9, 13.7], p = 0.001). Reductions for other amenities were more prolonged. In park service areas where a greater proportion of residents were White, reopening was associated with more visits, suggesting that racial privilege influenced access.ConclusionsSmartphone mobility data can address a data availability gap for monitoring park use. Park use only declined modestly in 2020. Opportunities exist to make access more racially equitable.Significance statementParks are public resources that promote health. Little is known about how parks have been used during the COVID-19 pandemic, when parks have become particularly important public spaces. This study introduces an approach to monitor park use over time, using location data from smartphones. This approach enabled the authors to evaluate trends in park use during the pandemic, including major gaps in visits to parks according to whether they mostly served White residents or residents of color. This big data approach offers advantages over traditional methods for monitoring park use and can help city officials to identify and address inequities in park access.