People-friendly space with plenty of outdoor park benches - Photo from Project for Public Space

When it comes to open spaces, just creating an area with a "build it and they will come" approach doesn't always work. According to experts, it takes a combination of the right people, plenty of outdoor park benches, strategically placed sidewalks, empty trash cans, secure bike racks and a whole lot more.

How many times have you walked through an open public area that was somehow just not right and not inviting? Or how many times have you visited a location and thought, gee, it would be nice if there was some way to hang out here but right now there is no comfortable way to do that?

According to researchers at Project for Public Spaces, there are actually quite a few factors that go into making an open space attractive and welcoming for the public to use. They created a checklist of items after studying thousands of public spaces, not just in the U.S., but around the world.

As you can imagine, after you see that many places, and how people interact with open spaces (or don't interact), the amenities that are effective become very evident.

The PPS folks broke the successful elements down into four basic categories. Those categories ask these questions: Is the open area comfortable? Is it accessible? Does it promote social interaction? Are people engaged in various activities at the site?

For example, when it comes to comfort, are there plenty of outdoor benches or other places where people can sit down?

Are those outdoor benches placed in both sunny and shaded areas, so people have a choice on whether they want to warm up or cool down?

Is the place litter free? Are there an adequate number of commercial trash cans in the area? Are they emptied regularly or overflowing with garbage?

Do the visitors to the area have a positive mindset about keeping the area tidy? Do they even pick up trash left by others?

Does it look safe? Would women feel comfortable going there and meeting a friend? (The PPS reports women are a good barometer on the value of a space because they tend to be more discriminating then men).

Regarding accessibility, is the space easy to walk to? Are there crosswalks nearby to avoid cars and reach the area safely? Does the location offer clear lines of visibility from several angles?

Can you take a bike, bus or train there? Are there bike parking racks where you can lock your bike? Are there places nearby to park a car?

Is the area accessible by handicapped people or people with special needs?

What's the image people see? Are they greeted with commercial outdoor planters filled with colorful flowers, interesting sculptures and healthy trees? Or is the space just a mass of gray, bland concrete?

Does the area create a sense of sociability?

Are there amenities there that foster the interaction of people with one another? That would include park picnic tables where people can eat or a large number of outdoor park benches where people can sit and talk or even a leafy tree where they can gather away from the sun.

Do you see pairs of people involved in conversation? Groups of people? Does it look like this is a rendezvous place where one person schedules a meeting with a friend or acquaintance? Are there families here, playing or visiting with other families?

The experts at PPS also noticed the activities taking place in an open space. They felt these were the "building blocks" for truly determining how successful the area was for public use.

For example, is the space used throughout the day? Is there a diverse mix of visitors, from young singles to retired couples to groups of kids? Are there shops nearby? Vendors?

Are there any activities taking place, such as people playing chess, reading a book, eating a meal, relaxing, catching some rays, etc.?

Another measure in addition to number of outdoor park benches

Finally, some of the benchmarks used by the PPS are not tangible or actual physical factors that would determine the success of a space.

You know what it's like. Sometimes you can sense a place has a warm, feel-good "vibe" to it, where you can see people gathering and clearly having fun.

Other places give you a cold, creepy feeling, such as, "Why am I the only person sitting here?"

The PPS says you can measure the success of a space by looking at the faces of the people there. Are they smiling? Do they look cheerful? Is there an upbeat mood within the surroundings?

If you are a site facility manager or a park manager, take another look at your open spaces. Be sure pedestrians stop there, fill the outdoor park benches, experience a good time. Make sure the space offers a welcoming first impression. Don't let people rush right through it with their heads down.

The PPS says these open spaces are like the "front porch" to our institutions, office buildings and government facilities.

Generally, humans prefer the outdoors. Studies shows sunlight makes you happy. Fresh air is invigorating.

If you are going to go through the trouble of creating an open space, or if you want to create a positive image of your building or park by promoting the spaces around it, pay attention to the criteria created by PPS.

Their researchers sat for hours on those park benches and took notes on the thousands of people who frequented those open spaces.

By using their checklist of what it takes to make a great open space, you can start adding the attributes that make it attractive. In essence, just as it says in the movie "Field of Dreams," you can build it and they will come.

As long as you build it the right way.

To read the Project for Public Spaces report click here.

Note: The Park and Facilities Catalog now has a ParkExpress program to ship park benches, trash receptacles and picnic tables in just 1-3 days.