Bettering Burnet
By Alex Quade, Peter Ward, Sophia Mathioudakis, Emma Theis, and Hayley Graham.
Goals — Approach to the problem
Burnet Woods is a 90-acre stretch of land that neighbors the north end of the University of Cincinnati. The park offers services to the public and is a beautiful piece of land with assets such as the fishing area on the lake, as well as walking trails and picnic spots. With such an inviting resource so near to campus, it could be assumed that park attendance would not only be high for the neighboring areas of Clifton but more specifically for the students of the University; However, through observation and research of the park grounds and usage it is understood that park usage is actually quite low, and although so close to campus, there are many factors that refrain students from taking advantage of the natural resource. The goal of this project, therefore, was to determine what factors led to such a conclusion.
The research process began simply with a field visit. Within the groups’ time walking throughout the park, a few different elements became very clear. The observations began at a very surface level as we began to evaluate the use of signage, or rather the lack of signage, as well as the park’s conditions and cleanliness, and even the layout of the park as they intersected with the roads. By simply observing our surroundings as well as the people around us, we quickly were able to determine our main focus in better understanding Burnet Woods.
Through our initial research, we decided to focus on the Accessibility & Usability of Burnet Woods as well as the low student presence due to lack of interest. With a starting point created, further research began through interviews of which we wanted to speak with those who both live near the park and more importantly utilize the park and its features. Our questions ranged from “frequency in the park” to “strange occurrences in the park” and so forth.
Through our initial research, we decided to focus on the Accessibility & Usability of Burnet Woods as well as the low student presence due to lack of interest. With a starting point created, further research began through interviews of which we wanted to speak with those who both live near the park and more importantly utilize the park and its features. Our questions ranged from “frequency in the park” to “strange occurrences in the park” and so forth.
2. Method — User research
Our group began research with a vital interview with Clifton resident, Rama Kasturi, who has been attending the park since 1996. Kasturi was an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Medical Pharmacology program at the University of Cincinnati from the year 2000 until 2013. Since then, she has been part of notable projects through the greater Cincinnati area such as the 2015 city-wide recycling initiative. Although no single person can know everything about Burnet Woods, Rama Kasturi is about the closest it gets. Throughout her time speaking with the group, she shared both her experiences as well as her expertise surrounding the area as well as the elements that make Burnet both succeed and fail. The information she provided not only supported the issues in our problem statement but expanded them and provided us with vital feedback. The first point of discussion was street traffic and it’s interference in the park. Clearly, Burnet has many roads running through it to provide access from the different sides of the park as well as to provide a sense of direction. For Kasturi, who is a frequent visitor, this creates an issue as the roads sort of break up the park and defeats part of the park’s purpose (which is to take a step away from city life).
In addition, one of the major determining factors for park-goers such as Kasturi is the lack of signage in the park. In our statement, we determined that the layout of the park could be a factor into the low park attendance; However, according to our interviewee the park layout isn’t too complex. The real issue is that for those who aren’t frequently attending, there is no way to become acquainted. Since there is no map for trails, different park areas, or even “welcome” signage, there is no way to effectively move through or understand one’s surroundings. The solution, offered by Kasturi, is to establish clear signage throughout the park.
During our time, another point that the group had not previously considered arose, that point being an entire lack of interest from the student body. Rama suggested that although there are present issues within the park itself, a major reason that Burnet is so unused could be rooted in the students. To this, two points were constructed. Firstly, there is an understanding or a stigma that Burnet Woods is unsafe which could obviously lead to student disinvolvement. A large issue that could lead to this may be visibility. Burnet Woods is filled with trees which in concept creates a welcoming environment. There is, however, the stigma of danger that Burnet has obtained and a lack of visibility only increases that fear. Lastly, another factor of disinterest could be found within the disconnect from the University. At one point in time, UC and Burnet were connected and there was an understanding that the two were correlated (and possibly used more because of it). As time went on, roads split the two apart and with that came an understanding that Burnet and UC were not connected (which in turn lead to lower usage). With a street like MLK entirely removing students from the woods, the levels of student-interest are understandably low.
The second vital interview occurred within the park itself with a man named Bud, who walks his dog, Pepper, in Burnet four times a week. Bud has lived in the Clifton area for 30 years and brings his dog to the park with frequency as he quite enjoys the park and believes many park-goers do as well. Throughout our time speaking with him, Bud said that there are things he would change about the park but above all, some people are just racist and associate the park with negative things because of it. That being said, he thinks that the layout is easy to understand but signage is needed in areas such as the slides and “playground” area, picnic area, and lake. In addition he believes that there should be programs implemented to draw interest to the park. In our discussion, he stated that at one point the Clifton Cultural Arts Center had discussed implementing such programs but eventually pulled away. This sort of incentive could have had a major positive impact on the park, he believed, and should be followed through on.
An interesting point he suggested was turning the empty area of land on the southern border of the park should be turned into a skate park for the students.
Clearly, the issues with Burnet Woods go past the stigma of danger in the park; However, it is also clear that the park isn’t quite as dangerous as it may seem. The main aspects that need improvements are within the signage, roads and park layout, and the connection to UC. Research has been done in mainly Japan and Korea on the concept of, “Shinrin-yoku” which dissects the importance of being immersed in nature and taking in the atmosphere (Shinrin-Yoku). The research proves to reduce stress, improve mood, increase energy and provide many positive outcomes to the mental and physical states of those who embrace it. With this study in mind and the information provided within our observations, studies, and interviews, it is evident that we must come to a solution (or at least the beginning of one) within the problems stated to better provide the students and Clifton residents’ with an opportunity to find purpose within Burnet Woods.
3. Insights — Analyze the data
Through our research, we determined that the main reasons why people don’t go to Burnet Woods are the lack of usability and accessibility, and an overall lack of interest in the park. The diagram above explains a bit more in-depth what we concluded.
To understand the issues with the park, we created three different personas that encapsulate the majority of people who use Burnet Woods:
Persona #1 — UC student
UC students would seem to be the primary visitors to Burnet Woods, due to the proximity of the park to campus. A UC student could theoretically spend time in the park before or after class, or between classes. A park seems like a good place to spend some relaxation time after class, and Burnet is a good escape from the urban feel of UC’s campus and Clifton in general. UC students, undergraduate and graduate students, are typically between the ages of 18–24 and therefore wouldn’t have much difficulty walking to and enjoying the park. However, these students also don’t have a lot of free time on their hands due to the demanding educational environment at UC.
Persona #2-Clifton Resident
Clifton residents that do not attend UC have much more time to explore and appreciate the area. The median age of Clifton residents is 32 — millennials. 43% of the population is families with children under 18. This lends itself to great interest in parks, restaurants, and other community landmarks. The average Clifton resident, then, is in their early 30s, likely with children and a career. These residents would likely spend weekday evenings and weekend afternoons in Burnet Woods.
Persona #3 — Visitor
Whether a visitor is in the city to see UC, or simply to see the sights of Cincinnati, a campus-side park would likely be a notable attraction. People visiting UC are most likely families with high school-age children or college-age kids visiting friends who are students at UC. Because UC itself does not have much green-space, Burnet Woods would be an attractive amenity to potential students. Visitors to Cincinnati, Clifton specifically, might not have much reason to stop in at Burnet.
These different personas could find themselves in scenarios which helped us come up with solutions:
#1: UC Student does not want to visit Burnett woods because they believe it is A) unsafe, B) feel like it is not accessible enough, and C) generally has no incentive to visit. They do not care about reformation of the area, and have never visited before.
#2: Clifton Resident visits the park often after work to walk his dog and exercise because he enjoys the peace and quiet Burnet Woods gives him after a stressful day at work. He goes every Monday and Wednesday and likes to sit by the water, and walk the trails. He likes it because he has been there often and knows his way around.
#3: Visitor to University of Cincinnati that wants to explore campus and the surrounding area of Clifton. Travels to Burnet Woods, but doesn’t see any signage or appropriate walkways that help them and invite them into the area. They don’t stay long.
In order to break down what we needed to do, we broke up our tasks into the following diagram:
Although we ended up interviewing mainly older residents of the Clifton area it could be understood that our audience would be only that group; However, with the vital information given through those interviews we were able to create an understanding for all personas that encounter Burnet and truly get a grasp on how to better the experience for all who attend.
4. Recommendations — Report your results
Early in our research process, we set a goal to better understand the reasons behind the low student use of Burnet Woods, as the resource is not only extremely close to campus, it also offers aspects not commonly found on a college campus. Through our initial observation, further research and interviews, and the final analysis, the group determined the general cause to be in the effects of Usability & Accessibility (specifically signage, park layout, and the campus disconnect) as well as the lack of interest from the student body.
Through the research we conducted of past surveys and the general understanding of the park, we determined one of the major influencing factors is park signage. From the moment we stepped into the park, the lack of signage was the first issue that caught our attention. Throughout interviews, it became clear that even for Clifton residents who use the park with frequency, the lack of direction, no park map, and no signage was a major point of issue. Without it, the park can seem confusing and overwhelming especially for those who don’t visit with frequency. Our solution, of increased and more understandable signage would tackle one of the major issues at hand as well as addressing park layout and giving the area a more welcoming presence.
Although it is possibly no the top priority as far as solutions come, the lack of student involvement and interest is a very interesting point that we discovered and research throughout the process. With such an interesting issue, however, comes limitations. Generally, there is no direct or physical solution to an issue that has to do entirely with behaviour and mindset. There were suggestions to implement health-centered programs and create a sense of incentive but it seems the stigmatisation of Burnet in the eyes of the students is a far more long-term goal.
In general, there is no straightforward solution to any of the issues that the group determined in our initial research. We have found that in most cases everyone has one reason or another to not visit Burnet, and although we were able to dissect and research the major points, only time will tell if the implementations will have the desired effect; With our solution, however, we may just be one step closer to making Burnet Woods a home for UC students.