Survey Says: Public space is critical to Miami residents
Years from now, when seen through the lens of history, the COVID-19 pandemic may prove to have been a pivotal moment for public spaces. Last year, as the virus took hold across the country and schools and workplaces closed, many public spaces — particularly parks, trails and greenspaces — became the most popular spots for recreation, exercise and nature bathing. When restaurants began to falter economically due to bans on indoor dining, many communities launched “Open Streets” programs, with outdoor dining and increased space for pedestrians. Public space was co-opted for summer camps, voting and family events.
The understanding that our parks, trails and people-first Main Streets can provide cities with social and economic benefits increased during the pandemic to the point where now, many local governments are allocating significant federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan towards civic infrastructure, in places like Akron and Detroit.
Survey results from the government of Miami-Dade County only provide more proof that people understand the value of civic infrastructure to their daily lives. In the county’s largest non-partisan, issue-oriented survey in the history of the region, more than 26,000 residents — a sample large enough to generally track with the county’s demographic makeup — the results provide very clear signs into how much Miami-Dade County residents value their libraries, parks and cultural centers. These findings demonstrate the high value placed by Miami-Dade residents on shared civic assets, findings which also track with the anecdotal evidence we’ve seen of the increased importance of public spaces during the pandemic in communities across the country.
Particularly interesting are these findings:
Public space is seen as an essential service.
Respondents named parks and open spaces as the third most important county community service, only after public safety and housing. (Other services included transportation, social services, arts and culture, libraries and animal services).
Public space is recognized as critical for health.
When respondents were asked the question “Which of the following would be most important to your health after this pandemic?” the surprising top answer turned out to be “access to recreation and public spaces.” Thirty-two percent of residents said this access was the most important county service for their health, followed by access to programs and activities for older adults and children (23%) such as parks and library programming, with both coming before more health care facilities, doctors and clinics (14%).
Maintenance and safety of the public realm is understood as critical to public safety.
A majority (58%) of respondents rank the maintenance of public spaces (better street lighting, consistent maintenance and cleaning of public spaces, the demolition or activation of vacant lots) as the number one solution for improving public safety, before preventing gun violence (50%) and funding services for people returning from incarceration (43%).
Protecting nature is viewed as core to environmental resilience.
The top-ranked answer (on a scale of 1 through 5) about environmental concerns was the protection of natural resources in the County, including the Everglades and Biscayne Bay. For Miami-Dade County residents who responded, protecting natural resources ranked ahead of protection from natural disasters and maintaining the long-term property values of their homes.
Public spaces touch residents in impactful ways.
When asked how they had interacted with the County over the last six months, the third-ranked answer was “Visited a County facility (library, park, cultural center).” Nineteen percent of respondents chose this answer, ranking a public facility just lower than the internet (22%) and paid taxes or bills (22%), demonstrating the value of the human and personal touchpoint of public space as the “face” of the County government. This personal experience is important to ensure that people build trust with their local government and with each other.
Throughout the last year, data point after data point shows us that civic infrastructure is critical for communities. The survey of Miami-Dade residents does the same, demonstrating once again how everyday Americans recognize the important role of public space in their lives, and how much they want a higher quality public realm for improved health, greater well-being, enhanced public safety and ongoing resilience.
Reimagining the Civic Commons is a collaboration of The JPB Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, William Penn Foundation, and local partners.
