Parks Week 2025 has been a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the vital role parks and open spaces play in our communities. Throughout the week, we explored how people engage with these spaces, using movement data to uncover key trends and insights. From urban parks to coastal beaches, we highlighted how data-driven insights can support better planning, accessibility, and community wellbeing.
Let’s take a look at how parks are evolving and why understanding movement is key to growing active, inclusive spaces for all.
Western Australian Botanic Gardens - WA, Australia
Ensuring that parks remain inclusive, welcoming spaces for all is essential, and this is a great example of how events, such as Lightscape, can drive both community engagement and lasting improvements.
Centennial Park - NSW, Australia
Centennial Park is one of Sydney’s most iconic green spaces, but how has activity in the park changed over time? Using movement data, we’ve tracked how people engage with the park from 2022 to now, revealing key trends in visitation and peak activity times.
Piha Beach - Auckland, NZ
Beaches are vital public spaces – just like parks – that bring communities together, support active lifestyles, and promote wellbeing. As part of Parks Week 2025, we highlighted how Movement Data can help ensure these spaces remain safe, accessible, and enjoyable for everyone. A great example is Surf Life Saving New Zealand who are committed to the vision of “no-one drowns on our beaches”.
Taking one of New Zealand’s most famous beaches – Piha Beach – we can quickly analyse activity hotspots for any time of the day or year.
Heat Maps
By comparing movement patterns through heatmapping, we can pinpoint when and where the beach is most crowded, highlight areas that could be better activated, and identify opportunities to improve accessibility.
Movement Dashboard
Looking at the Movement Dashboard, this confirms exactly where the spikes in activity are. Plus we can compare these year on year, to get a better understanding of the trends.
Sir Zelman Cowen Park - VIC, Australia
Sir Zelman Cowen Park in the City of Stonnington is a hub for sport, recreation, and community activity. We analysed the Activity Reports from our Movement Data Module to better understand how the community engages with the park.
Flaxmere Park - Hawke's Bay, NZ
Basketball New Zealand collaborated with Hastings District Council, Basketball Hawke’s Bay and Sport Hawke’s Bay in December 2021 to install a brand new court facility in the Flaxmere Park precinct, as part of the successful “Hoops in Parks” project.
Movement Data can evidence the impact of similar projects, facility upgrades and new builds in local communities, as well inform strategies to maximise engagement and participation during peak hours of facility usage.
Parks Week 2025 has highlighted the power of data in shaping the future of our parks and open spaces. By understanding movement trends, we can ensure these spaces continue to meet the needs of the communities they serve, whether it’s improving accessibility, enhancing facilities, or supporting safety initiatives. These actionable insights will help planners, policymakers, and community leaders make informed decisions that keep our parks thriving.
Know your community. Grow your community.
Relevant Modules
Movement Data
Know where, when and how your community comes together
