Promoting sustainable and equitable access to parks : a study of transit-to-parks initiatives and user perceptions
department or school: Forestry, Faculty of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Wang, Yiyang
issued: 2024-04-22T14:59:41Z
issued: 2024
related degree: Master of Science - MSc
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: In response to increasing sustainability challenges and the critical need for equitable park access, this thesis investigates the development of Transit-to-Parks (T2P) initiatives that link public transit to natural areas across Canada, and analyzes factors influencing park visitors' transportation choices in Metro Vancouver. The thesis employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative insights gathered from semi-structured interviews with ten Transit-to- Parks (T2P) initiative practitioners and quantitative analyses of 430 park-user survey responses. The research uncovers three motivations for T2P initiatives: parking and traffic congestion, environmental impacts of traffic, and equity considerations. It highlights key facilitators such as policy advocacy, partnerships, and community engagement in the successful implementation of T2P initiatives while also pointing out challenges, including limited funding and labor shortages, inadequate infrastructure, and siloed agencies. Furthermore, analysis of park visitors' mode choices indicates that socio-demographic and trip-related factors significantly influence the decision to use sustainable transport options for park visits. These findings suggest that targeted infrastructure improvements, policy interventions, and planning efforts are essential to reducing car dependency and fostering a shift toward more sustainable transportation modes. This thesis contributes to the discourse on urban planning, green equity, transportation equity, and recreational management, offering practical insights for transit agencies, urban planners, and policymakers aiming to improve park accessibility through sustainable transportation. It advocates for the integration of transportation planning with park access strategies to foster more sustainable, equitable urban environments.
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/87912
note: PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO PARKS: A STUDY OF TRANSIT-TO-PARKS INITIATIVES AND USER PERCEPTIONS by Yiyang Wang BUF, The University of British Columbia, 2022 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (Forestry) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) April 2024 © Yiyang Wang, 2024 ii The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for acceptance, the thesis entitled: Promoting sustainable and equitable access to parks: a study of transit-to-parks initiatives and user perceptions submitted by Yiyang Wang in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Forestry Examining Committee: Keunhyun Park, Assistant Professor, Forest Resources Management, UBC Supervisor Alex Bigazzi, Associate Professor, Civil Engineering, UBC Supervisory Committee Member Lorien Nesbitt, Assistant Professor, Forest Resources Management, UBC Supervisory Committee Member Kelly Clifton, Professor, School of Community and Regional Planning, UBC Additional Examiner iii Abstract In response to increasing sustainability challenges and the critical need for equitable park access, this thesis investigates the development of Transit-to-Parks (T2P) initiatives that link public transit to natural areas across Canada, and analyzes factors influencing park visitors' transportation choices in Metro Vancouver. The thesis employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative insights gathered from semi-structured interviews with ten Transit-to-Parks (T2P) initiative practitioners and quantitative analyses of 430 park-user survey responses. The research uncovers three motivations for T2P initiatives: parking and traffic congestion, environmental impacts of traffic, and equity considerations. It highlights key facilitators such as policy advocacy, partnerships, and community en…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2024-05
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0441461
language: eng
degree discipline: Forestry
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
contributor: Park, Keunhyun
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/87912