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Converting public school to pocket park: creating decentralized public space within walkable distance
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
By Norak Prak
Junior Research Fellow
Future Forum's young research fellow, Norak Prak has published a new commentary on converting public school to pocket park. Check out the full article below!
In Phnom Penh, public space for citizens is an ever needed part of the city. In recent years we have seen an increase in public spaces, especially in the riverside pedestrianization that shuts down traffic for a set period and offers a weekend attraction. There is also the upcoming central park, which is said to occupy the renovated space of Pochentong Airport, following in the footsteps of post-war Europe where a myriad of old industrial sites, abandoned properties, and even old airfields are reused as public parks.
While all of this is a significant achievement, Phnom Penh can take a step further by establishing more decentralized public spaces. Central parks in Phnom Penh may be great, but can also be a catalyst for pollution and congestion with people driving to them, which is the case with Walk Street. Traveling to a public park is also inconvenient for people living further away, and a large park could also require a lot of maintenance. The most important consideration, however, is accessibility. Older people like our parents and grandparents, the young, including our children, and people with disabilities, might not be able to go to central parks on their own.
For those of us with access to private transportation, the location of public spaces might not matter, but for those who lack those access, having a park near their home is important. People need these micro or “pocket” parks all around the city to socialize within their own community.
Of course, Phnom Penh is challenged by a lack of available public land. However, Cambodians have another resource to utilize: schools.
Ideal Space For Public Use
The public schools in Phnom Penh usually have readily available green and open spaces. Schools are also already dispersed throughout the city, making these accessible to communities outside the city.
Using public schools as public spaces is advantageous due to both the amenities and the available usage time. With the school day usually ending at 5PM and Sundays free, this creates a time slot for the community members to use. A report on public space in Phnom Penh found that the space users often come during the evening due to work hours or because of the heat of the day, making the school’s available hours ideal. Public space users also reportedly perceive that public space is mainly used for relaxing, exercising, and having fun, which are also the main uses of the shared spaces at schools. For example, public schools often possess sports equipment and spaces for volleyball and soccer.
Presently, this practice is seen in some notable high schools in Phnom Penh, including Baktouk High, and Sisowath high school where a basketball tournament has been regularly held. However, this example should be spread toward schools in smaller communities as well.
Operating A Public Space
Currently, many schools are closed off to the public after 5pm, rendering it wasteful for such a big space to be used only for one function in the city.
The most immediate and resource efficient approach is for the current public schools in Phnom Penh to be properly recognized as public spaces by the city authority through new announcements and policy. Then, public announcements can be made and times of usage need to be set; specifically, after 5pm, on Sundays, or public holidays when classes are inactive.
In a more radical step, schools should start abolishing the empty wall or ‘dead wall’ around the perimeter, which studies have shown to attract crime and vandalism. These walls' only function is to keep students from wandering off and to reduce noises. Instead, walls like these can be switched to a transparent fence that seems more welcoming, and can deter crimes from happening on the sidewalk. Trees and greenery can be used to offset the noises from traffic instead.
Furthermore, once the public space is established, the community could start their own events and projects including gardening, fairs, or even sport tournaments. Major events could be booked with the public space administration and displayed on a community event board,while smaller gatherings for students or community members can be done without approval. It is important for the school to designate the spaces that do not need to be reserved for events, and other spaces that can be used for larger community events. Students could join in to create a ‘community space map’ to inform the community of these designations.
A good example of such activity is gardening. Some primary schools in Phnom Penh still have gardening activity planting fruits and vegetables. When initiated in communities that are financially-vulnerable, the school gardens could provide food for the community and act as a food education program for young students.
In terms of maintenance, public schools always have students clean their classroom and schoolground everyday. Additionally the school groundskeeper also helps with major labor work at the school. Which is more financially efficient than having additional maintenance effort on new public space whether for pruning trees or cleaning. But the community is also more than likely to join in the cleaning effort of the school. The school could organize cleaning events on the holidays. For smaller schools, cleaning equipment, like brooms, can be provided at the school for the community to clean wherever they come to use the space. This is not uncommon in municipalities in Japan that lack funding to recruit volunteers to clean their community green space, including elderly.
The balance between formal uses and informal uses can vary from school to school, depending on how far they are from the urban core and how big they are. With the right balance, the conversion of the space is more fluid for the community. Smaller schools are also more easily changed than bigger schools due to their informal nature and the school administration's often close relationship with the community parents and youth.
Conclusion
Creating new public spaces in Phnom Penh is always appreciated, but it is important to decentralize or disperse public spaces across the city so that people living outside the city center can still benefit from them. With the existing amenities of public schools, plus their dispersed locations throughout the city, Phnom Penh can create pocket parks without lots of additional resources.
More importantly, elderly and children who live near these public schools can benefit from being able to socialize with their community just by walking or bike there.
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