Ethnicity and Urban Park Use: A Cross-Cultural Examination of Recreation Characteristics Among Six Population Subgroups

Abstract

The ethnic minority population of the US continues to increase due to rising minority birth rates coupled with the influx of ethnic immigrants to America's cities, suburbs and towns (Parrillo 1994). Based on present immigration trends, by the year 2050, 22 percent of the US population will be Hispanic and 10 percent will be Asian (US Department of Commerce 1994). Urban ethnic minority groups thus constitute an important and growing user segment of urban and community parks and forests. These parks and forests not only provide diverse opportunities for recreation, leisure, and cultural activities (Chicago Park District 1989; More 1985), but they also serve as alternative access routes to shop or work and connectors between neighborhoods; foster diversity of social relationships in much the same way that they foster biological diversity among flora and fauna (Shafer and Floyd 1997). To better manage urban and community forests and parks, a heightened understanding of the recreational needs and interests of racial and ethnic minority residents they serve is important.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the Fourth Social Aspects and Recreation Research Symposium: February 4-6, 2004, San Francisco, California

Citation

Sasidharan, Vinod. 2004. Ethnicity and Urban Park Use: A Cross-Cultural Examination of Recreation Characteristics Among Six Population Subgroups. In: Proceedings of the Fourth Social Aspects and Recreation Research Symposium; 2004 February 4-6; San Francisco, California. San Francisco State University. 10-16