Our top 5 ways to improve a communal outdoor space

Date published 1 February 2017

Choosing the right features and street furniture makes a big difference in the appeal of your outdoor space. Here are our top tips to ensure your park is always filled with happy visitors.

1. Increase green areas

Green grassy areas have shown to improve moods, reduce stress and depression, and aid general health as well. Having access to open grassy spaces also enables and encourages people to engage in physical activity, from walking, jogging and cycling to team sports.

2. Add some water flow

As with greenery, flowing water plays a huge part in urban planning. Streams and canals divide up sections of parks and attract popular water birds such as ducks. The sound of running water is naturally relaxing, the perfect backdrop to a picnic, a game of Frisbee or simply reading a book.

3. Install a few BBQs

A barbecue can make the difference between a quick stroll through the park to a whole day out with friends and family. The scent of sausages on the breeze adds something special to the park for everyone, and you can be sure of a larger gathering if a barbecue is involved.

Many different designs of commercial barbecue are available, including sleek electric models such as the Urban Electric and Milo barbecues, the modern Urban Gas Double or even classic wood-fired barbecues like the free-standing B-BQ, C-BQ and Bushcooker.

4. Light it up

The party doesn’t have to stop once the sun goes down. Installing fairly lights, lanterns, solar pathway lights and more can tastefully illuminate your park so visitors can stay after dark. This is especially appealing in the summer months, when many feel it’s too hot to venture outside during the day.

5. Increase the amount of lounging areas

Everyone needs to take a load off now and then, and while grass can be a great place to sit, people also need outdoor benches and commercial picnic tables to sit comfortably. The more room there is to sit, the longer visitors will want to stay. A park bench seat also gives parents a place to sit while their kids play, and lets students read and study more easily than on the ground.