Public Behavior in Urban Parks during Pandemics as a Foundation for Risk Assessment by Park Managers: A Case Study in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Accessing parks without transmitting viruses would ensure not depriving people of parks’ health benefits during pandemics. This study attempts to develop a practical tool for park managers to assess the risk of contracting respiratory contagious illnesses, decide on meaningful mitigation measures, and monitor the effect of these measures. The assessment is based on the spatial and temporal behaviors of users at each park open space type (POST), particularly the behaviors that may impact the risk of illness transmission. The researcher created a checklist, including five factors relating to users: physical distancing, density, duration of stay, percentage of users wearing masks, and frequency of surface touch; then, the implementation of the tool was demonstrated by selecting a sample zone from Jeddah waterfront park, Saudi Arabia, while COVID-19 was active. User behavior data were collected at the POSTs of the sample zone, using behavioral mapping and tracking methods. After analyzing the data using ArcGIS Desktop and SPSS Statistics software, the data were used to fill out the composed checklist to assess the risk at POSTs. The findings indicated that the waterfront railing area, playground, and pier were the POSTs with the highest risk. By using the checklist, park managers can contribute to the success of non-pharmaceutical mitigation interventions at a local scale.