Current Campaign

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND REDESIGNED COMMUNITY SPACES (PARCS) STUDY

The Physical Activity and Redesigned Community Spaces (PARCS) Study is an exciting collaboration between the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy and New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. The PARCS Study is focused on exploring the relationship between neighborhood environment and community health. It is the first study of its kind to explore the relationship between a neighborhood’s built environment and the health of the community on such a broad scale. It is also the only study of its kind in the world.

Unprecedented opportunity

Examines the impact of parks as a feature of the built environment on residents’ social, mental and physical wellbeing on a municipal scale

Multi-stakeholder partnership

Extensive relationships with diverse funders, city agencies, businesses and community-based organizations

Policy relevant

Informs policies on urban design, community building, and economic development in New York City and beyond

Community driven

Cultivates a network of engaged residents throughout New York City

Why Do Participants get involved?

Participants in the PARCS Study will significantly advance the understanding of the relationship between neighborhood environments and physical activity, individual health, and community well-being. Participating in the study allow community members to act as an agent of change in creating a greener, healthier, and more prosperous city.

What does participation involve?

Study participants fill out an annual questionnaire and use an activity monitoring device, to provide physical activity information over a 7-day period over the course of the 5-year study period.

Participation Benefits:

Participants get to utilize the latest in mobile technology, including:

• Accelerometers (research-grade step counters) that utilize app-based location monitoring with geofencing, provided by our location-based technology partner Plot Projects.
• Real-time text-based surveys that can be completed at the participant’s convenience through an app downloaded on either Android or Apple devices.

Participants will be compensated for their time and help:

• $50 gift card will be given for each year of successful participation if enrolled alone.
• $100 gift card will be given for each year of successful participation if enrolled along with a child.
• $10 additional gift card reward for each successful participant referral