ABSTRACT
The implications of design for long-term green space management are often not examined. This chapter aims to address this gap in knowledge by calling on a series of post-occupancy evaluations of two new and high-profile parks in the cities of Sheffield, UK and Ahmedabad, India. The chapter focuses on one of the underlying concepts of social cohesion, i.e. social equity, which necessitates discussion of the terms ‘public’ and ‘access’. South Street Park in Sheffield and Sabarmati Riverfront Park in Ahmedabad are parks in socially deprived areas which have been a catalyst contributing to the ongoing urban regeneration in these two cities, and the implications of this for social equity will be discussed. Themes of connection, both physical and visual, vegetation, user perceptions, non-users and wider political aspirations emerge throughout the chapter.
