| Urban park systems are undeniably a critical part of any urban environment. The physical and mental benefits of social interactions and physical activities in outdoor spaces are well-documented and examined (Jensen, 1995; Kaplan, Kaplan and Ryan, 1998; see also Hanyu, 2000; Hartig and Staats, 2006 & Kaplan and Kaplan, 1989). It is not surprising, then, that the interaction between public accountability, management, maintenance and design need to be effective and efficient. Park audit systems can positively affect these relationships, and because of the connections between on-going audit systems and long-term sustainability, assessments of urban parks are becoming increasingly important in tightening fiscal conditions. Theories regarding visual preferences and landscape assessment have been developed to explore why individuals or societies as a whole tend to select certain visual scenes for tourism, recreation and mental restoration. By exploring these theories; the prospect-refuge theory (Appleton, 1975), the human habitat theory (Kaplan, Kaplan & Ryan, 1982) and cross-cultural preference variations (Dearden and Sadler, 1989), an understanding has been built regarding the broad values preferred by individuals of landscape scenes. The intention of this research has been to make connections between these underlying theories, urban park design, and urban park assessment. The development of the Blended Audit System (BAS) is the culmination of this research, incorporating many of these theories and relationships in the form of the BAS. The BAS is specifically tailored to the City of Saskatoon park system; however, it has also been developed to establish the fundamental components and assessment approaches that may be applicable in varying contexts and scales. |
