Blog

System change is a main focus for Active Calderdale when looking to develop our Active Parks strategy. This strategy will provide a framework to underpin the management of parks and green spaces and help engage other council services, organisations, and Friends of Groups.

Within Active Calderdale’s work we look to encourage more Calderdale residents to use their parks and green spaces. Research and community engagement within our priority areas, however, shows that not all people feel safe within parks and green spaces.

Active Calderdale have been looking to utilise funding and make improvements to parks and green spaces that make them safer including cutting back bushes etc. with a goal to get more people into our parks, the busier an area; the safer it will be.

Having safe, accessible, and attractive parks and green spaces is crucial for encouraging people to stay active, as highlighted by both the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) ‘Global Action Plan on Physical Activity’ (2018-30) and the International Society for Physical Activity and Health’s (ISPAH) ‘8 Investments that work for physical activity’.

Recently we wrote about the collaborative work happening in Shroggs Park which hopes to deliver improvements designed to make the area more welcoming, attractive and accessible. The signs are that the hard work is certainly paying off and on Saturday 28^th October, 90 residents of all ages descended on the park for some spooky Halloween fun.

Parks and green spaces are central to all three of our corporate priorities – Reducing Inequalities, Tackling Climate Change and Creating Strong, Thriving Towns. They are widely recognised as important community assets within the Borough, providing free, local and accessible opportunities for residents to be active and enjoy themselves.​ 

Evaluating the impact of active projects within Calderdale plays a vital role in the whole systems approach employed by Active Calderdale. To achieve this goal, certain projects are given support on a local level (e.g., surveys, workshops, focus groups) to understand how these projects are having an impact on Calderdale residents.