Life after mega-events : strategically reusing legacy parks

Abstract

A great deal of research has scrutinized the mixed legacy of staging "mega-events" such as World's Fairs (or Expos) and Olympic Games. Host cities regularly invest billions of dollars building the facilities and supporting infrastructure needed to accommodate millions of visitors over a fixed period of time. In doing so, they also consume hundreds of acres of land, including large masses of urban space in which core activities are clustered. An analysis of urban mega-events over the past century and a half indicates that numerous host locations have converted core event grounds into large urban parks. This thesis investigates the post-event reuse of urban parks built on these fairgrounds. Through investigative research, interviews, and onsite fieldwork of selected post-event "legacy" parks, prevailing issue areas concerning their viability and accessibility are identified. Drawing on the experiences of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, a large park built on the former grounds of two World's Fairs in New York City, this thesis suggests strategic public space reuse and management approaches for Flushing Meadows and other legacy parks confronting similar challenges. The idea that post-event parks must be preserved as democratic and accessible civic spaces is stressed, particularly in light of increased privatization of the urban public realm.