Sitting at Victoria Park, one of the popular urban green spaces in Hong Kong, I saw a lot of smiling faces over the weekend. It was a stark contrast to the densely populated areas of the city. Similarly, in Singapore, the appeal of the Botanic Gardens grew during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Green spaces in an urban environment are good venues for recreation and also good for our mental health.

My study published in Nature Mental Health found a significant increase in London residents visiting urban green spaces (UGS) UGS during COVID-19 lockdowns, especially for those who live closer to green spaces. The results were based on mobility data from two million mobile phone users in London.

The above study, done in collaboration with Assistant Professor Michael Mai from NUS Business School, and Dr Souneil Park from Telefonica Research, also looked at the mental health and locations of 5,000 people in the United Kingdom.

We found that those living in proximity to UGS experienced significantly lower levels of mental distress compared to those residing further away. These findings hold timely relevance as more grapple with mental health issues. There is an impetus to advocate for the preservation and creation of more green spaces in our city planning.

Closer to Asia, my ongoing study, co-authored with Alex Yeung, an NUS research associate, reports that people in both Singapore and Hong Kong increased their visits to UGS after COVID-19. Consistent with the results observed in London, respondents in both Asian cities also reported a more significant improvement in their mental well-being after visiting UGS during the COVID-19 outbreak compared to pre-COVID-19.

This phenomenon underscores the critical role that UGS plays in promoting mental health. An increased demand for accessible UGS, particularly during periods of restricted mobility, where mental well-being becomes a paramount concern.

Although both Singapore and Hong Kong are known for their sustainable urban planning, there are significant differences in their UGS plans and outcomes (note that country parks are excluded from the UGS sample).

Accessibility to UGS in Singapore is comparatively lower than in Hong Kong. In Singapore, over 22 per cent of public housing blocks are beyond a 10-minute walk to UGS, whereas in Hong Kong, only 5 per cent. On average, the distance between public housing known as Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks and the nearest UGS in Singapore is approximately 572 meters, translating to a 6-8 minute walk. In contrast, over 90 per cent of Public Rental Flats (PRF) in Hong Kong are located in close proximity to UGS, the average walking distance from a PRF to the nearest green space is just 301 meters, equivalent to a 4-minute walk.

However, the quality of green spaces is better in Singapore. Singapore has more room allocated for UGS with an average size of 4.3 hectares compared to Hong Kong’s average of 0.74 hectares. Singaporeans also enjoy a greater extent of UGS, with approximately 15 square meters per person, whereas Hong Kongers have access to a smaller 3 square metres per person.

Additionally, Singapore exhibits a more equitable distribution of UGS across residential neighbourhoods compared to Hong Kong. Furthermore, we also found that Hongkongers have lower satisfaction with UGS maintenance when compared to their level of satisfaction with accessibility, a distinction from the preferences observed among Singaporeans.

An intriguing part of our findings is that the existing conditions of local UGS influence public behaviour of UGS visits. It appears that the public does not easily compromise on this matter. The shortcomings in their local UGS are highly relevant in determining their visit to green spaces. Singaporeans tend to visit UGS more often when they are satisfied with accessibility while Hongkongers prioritise maintenance when making their visits. In other words, merely having UGS, whether in terms of quantity or quality, is insufficient to incentivise public visits, and in turn, enhance their mental well-being.

These findings highlight the importance of comprehensive UGS planning that considers multidimensional attributes beyond accessibility, such as quality and maintenance. The government needs to understand what is lacking in the current local context and public satisfaction with these spaces when shaping future UGS planning strategies.

Given the higher population density in Singapore and Hong Kong compared to London, appropriate UGS planning is even more critical to maximise positive outcomes of UGS in these Asian cities. While people appreciate the benefits of UGS on their mental health, especially during the pandemic, they will not visit these places if they are not satisfied with them. Therefore, improving UGS should be prioritised in the planning and building of healthier, pandemic-proof cities.

This article first appeared in SCMP.