Most traditional maintenance operations do not generally encourage involvement between park users and parks staff, although greater interaction between them will put a more human face on parks and enhance other safety-related initiatives. One strategy to accomplish this is the establishment of zone gardeners who work exclusively in a designated area or park. Their familiarity with the park provides greater awareness and sensitivity to potential safety problems. This system is being used in Central Park in New York City, where they have begun to replace their centralized management with a zone gardener system wherein staff are assigned responsibility for designated areas of the park. To be more effective, staff should be trained in personal safety so that they know what to look for, who to report it to and when and how to intervene as well as how to respond to reports from the public about safety concerns.
Vandalism breeds vandalism.
A quick response to remove graffiti, replace damaged fixtures or remove garbage has been shown to greatly reduce the incentive to deface areas. While immediate repair is critically important, it should be combined with an effort to find out the source of problem, otherwise the incidents will probably continue. Inc. All rights reserved.