Public Open Space Handbook
Official Launch + Masterclass
Parks & Leisure VIC/TAS, in partnership with VicHealth, is proud to officially launch the new Public Open Space Handbook — a contemporary framework for the provision of Public Open Space (POS) in Victoria. It was developed to assist land managers across Victoria to plan, design and manage public open space. The POS Handbook replaces the 2013 Open Space Planning and Design Guide.
Join us to celebrate the launch of this important new resource for the sector, hear about the thinking behind its development, and take a deeper dive into Module 1 through an exclusive two-hour masterclass led by Jenn Benden from Xyst.
Schedule is detailed in the image below, expect to hear from Andrea Syzmanski, PLA Vic/Tas President, Jenn from Xyst and VicHealth, on the launch of this extraordinary handbook.
Introducing the Public Open Space Handbook
The Public Open Space Handbook replaces the 2013 Open Space Planning and Design Guide, bringing together contemporary knowledge, existing resources and new guidance to support the sector.
Rather than being a single, static guide, the Handbook has been developed as an interactive, modular resource that can evolve with the sector and respond to emerging needs, challenges and opportunities.
The first edition of the Handbook brings together three modules, providing guidance and resources across key areas of public open space planning, design and management.
The launch event provides an opportunity to not only discover the new Handbook, but to put it into practice.
Following the official launch, attendees will participate in a two-hour masterclass exploring Module 1 of the Handbook.
This is an opportunity to go beyond the resource itself and explore how the guidance can be applied in practice, with the chance to hear directly from one of the consultants involved in developing the Handbook.
What to expect?
The two-hour masterclass will provide an opportunity to explore Module 1 in greater depth:
- PPN1 – Research review: The benefits of POS
- PPN2 – Planning Framework
- PPN3 – Open Space Strategies
- PPN4 – Provision standards
Explore the practical application of the Handbook through real-world examples and insights, current sector challenges, and discussion with Jenn and fellow practitioners.
Who should attend?
The Public Open Space Handbook has been developed for people involved in planning, designing and managing public open space, including:
- Local government open space and parks professionals
- Open space planners
- Landscape architects and designers
- Urban planners and designers
- Recreation and community development professionals
- Land managers
- Consultants
- Parks and Leisure professionals
- Other organisations involved in the planning, design and management of public space
Why does public open space matter?
Public open space plays an important role in creating healthy, connected and liveable communities.
The way we plan, design and manage parks, reserves, recreation spaces and other public places can influence how people move, connect with others, interact with nature and experience their neighbourhoods.
As the needs of our communities and the challenges facing the sector continue to evolve, so too does the need for contemporary, practical guidance to support the people responsible for creating and managing these spaces.
The Public Open Space Handbook has been developed to provide a contemporary resource for practitioners working across the public open space sector, supporting better-informed decision-making and helping to achieve positive health and wellbeing outcomes through the planning, design and management of public space.
