Public Open Space Handbook
Masterclass – Module 1
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.
Please note: The Module 1 masterclass is open to all, with places limited to 30 participants. The handbook will be made available the day of the masterclass, you will be able to access it through the PLA website.
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.
The masterclass is for anyone involved in planning, designing, managing or advocating for public open space, including local government practitioners, planners, landscape architects, designers, consultants and land managers.
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.
Jenn Benden, author of the Open Space Handbook
Jenn Benden is a passionate parks and recreation professional who cares deeply about best practice, access to evidence and data, and the future of the open space industry. Jenn is a Director of Xyst and is the Global Project Director for the parks benchmarking programme Yardstick. She has a breadth of industry experience ranging such as managing community sport clubs, leading parks planning provision standards for large precincts, and project managing open space design and delivery.
Jenn has a wide range of research interests and experience including completing her masters thesis on esports, completing outdoor fitness equipment research, presenting on recreation planning and AI, and is an active mentor to emerging young professionals. She has an award-winning history of parks and recreation industry leadership including board roles, industry committees, accreditations, and contributions across Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
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.
