Spatial accessibility and equity of playgrounds in Edmonton, Canada

Evaluer l'equite spatiale des equipements urbains publics, implique la comparaison entre la distribution des equipements et le besoin des habitants pour ces equipements. Pour cette publication nous utilisons des Systemes d'Informations Geographiques (SIG) en collaboration avec l'autocorrelation spatiale locale pour analyser rassociation de l'accessibility (voisinage) des tours de recreation avec le besoin demographique et social des tours de recreation a Edmonton. De plus, l'analyse prend en consideration les differentes qualites des cours de recreation dans la ville. Les objectifs premiers de cette etude sont: evaluer si la provision des cours de recreation a Edmonton est equitable en ce qui concerne l'emplacement et la qualite, et examiner le role que joue la qualite des equipements dans l'evaluation de l'equite spatiale. Les resultats indiquent que les cours de recreation sont distribues equitablement a Edmonton et que la meilleure accessibilite des cours de recreations se trouve clans les quartiers qui ont les besoins sociaux les plus eleves. Cependant, une fois les differences de qualite des tours de recreations considerees, nous avons trouve moins d'association entre un haut besoin social et des regions d'accessibility superieure. Les conclusions sont que plus d'attention dolt etre pretee aux differences qualitatives des cours de recreation a Edmonton, et que les chercheurs de l'equite spatiale doivent considerer de maniere plus serieuse la qualite des equipements dans l'evaluation de l'equite spatiale dans les cites. Introduction The spatial distribution of public amenities within cities and the access to these amenities have been a central focus in much geographical research. While past studies have varied in context, methodological approach and the amenity of interest, a common task has been to address spatial equity within the urban environment (Knox 1978; Pacione 1989; Truelove 1993; Talen 1997). Research of this nature typically asks whether the spatial distribution of and access to a particular amenity correspond to the geographical variation of 'need' for that amenity or, more generally, whether socially disadvantaged populations live in spatially disadvantaged areas. These types of questions not only contribute to geographers' understanding of equity issues within cities but also allow policymakers to assess the effectiveness of existing amenity-provision policies and identify areas of under-provision, thereby resulting in improved amenity and service delivery. Quantitative evaluations of spatial equity often begin with accessibility measures; however, the methods used to calculate accessibility vary among studies and influence the results. Talen and Anselin (1998) show that different accessibility measures can produce markedly different spatial patterns of accessibility. Furthermore, our previous research demonstrates that assumptions of evenly distributed populations within mid-sized areas, such as neighbourhoods or census tracts, can lead to aggregation error in calculating accessibility measures for these units (Hewko et al. 2002). The purposes of this paper were to measure accessibility to public playgrounds in Edmonton, Canada; to assess the spatial equity of neighbourhood spatial accessibility to playgrounds for differences in quality and in relation to neighbourhood population need; and to use these findings to evaluate how well Edmonton's Neighbourhood Park Development Program (NPDP) promotes spatial equity and addresses community need. Playgrounds As Neighbourhood Resources Play is an important part of children's cognitive development that enables them to engage actively with their surroundings. Children use play in their acquisition of knowledge about the world around them (Piaget 1962). Thus, children's play spaces help them to construct knowledge about their environment and are essential to their healthy development. Children play within the home and around it, including yards, sidewalks, alleys, streets, lots, fields and playgrounds. …