Blue space experts give local communities a voice and call for action

Researchers at Glasgow Caledonian University are calling for action to preserve and revitalise urban blue spaces after talking to hundreds of local people who use the Clyde and Forth Canal towpaths.

Lead researcher Niamh Smith has been investigating the health benefits of blue spaces for the past six years and this is the first survey that gives the local community a voice.

She shared the views of more than 200 local people and findings from previous research with key stakeholders, and produced a Leveraging Blue Space for Health blueprint for action and policy with 12 recommendations.

Niamh will present the recommendations on the future of blue spaces and what needs to be done to preserve them at Scotland's World Water Day on March 22, organised by the Hydro Nation International Centre.

The Centre brings together the Scottish water research community, and links industry, policy, research, and agencies to support economic development and good stewardship of water resources, and to share best practices around the world.

The local communities involved in the latest research live around the Forth and Clyde Canal in North Glasgow in some of the most socioeconomically deprived areas in Scotland.

They are calling for less rubbish and more litter bins, more cafes, restaurants, toilets and children's play areas, improved signage, better lighting, designated cycle paths and improved path surface, along with more picnic areas and seating to enjoy the newly regenerated canal and towpaths

Local people also talked about how living near the canal had improved their lives. Some of the comments include - "it makes me feel a bit more alive and energetic", "for my mental health, just being able to walk alongside the water is incredible", "the water's really relaxing" and "the sound of the water really helps to calm me down".

One of the locals from Maryhill, who uses the towpaths regularly, is Hayden Atkin, Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYP) for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, and Chairperson of the Canal Youth Forum. He is delighted his local community is being given a voice.

He said: "I think that the research carried out by Glasgow Caledonian University into blue spaces, particularly around the Forth and Clyde Canal near where I live, has been really, really important. It's allowed the community get their voices heard. The community would like see spaces around the canal well-maintained and well-lit. I think this research will help that to happen."

Niamh has been researching the benefits of blue spaces with colleagues from the School of Health and Life Sciences' Research Centre for Health (ReaCH) Professor Sebastien Chastin and Michail Georgiou, and Dr Zoë Tieges, from the SMART Technology Research Centre.

They have been working with Scottish Canals on the studies, funded by The Data Lab, Scotland's innovation centre for data and artificial intelligence.

Niamh explained: "We've been researching blue spaces now for the last six years. We've looked at 20-years' worth of data across that time and we've now got solid evidence that there are benefits to having blue spaces on your doorstep.

"Some of the benefits that we've seen is that there's an impact on physical health and mental health and this latest piece of research is where we've gone out onto the canal towpaths and we've spoken to over 200 people who live locally.

"What we've found is they really benefit from having this space. This research is unique because the research that we've done to date has all been statistical, whereas, this is getting the voice of the people who live in the community and what they need heard for the very first time

"We've taken this information from the local community, combined it with all our research to date and brought together a whole load of different stakeholders to come up with a set of recommendations and a policy document which we will launch on World Water Day 2023.

"Stakeholders include the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland, the NHS and local organisations working around North Glasgow and we've said to them – look, this is our research, this is what the 200 people in North Glasgow are telling us and what are we going to do about it as a collective?"

Scotland's World Water Day - Accelerating Change through Partnerships and Cooperation takes place at Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) on March 22.

Read Niamh's story in the Glasgow Times - https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/23366767.more-bins-better-lighting-calls-improve-glasgow-canals/