This book re-evaluates the contribution of the urban park to our civic history and considers their impact on patterns of public leisure and the use of open space in the city.

Carole A. O'Reilly is a Senior Lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Salford, Manchester, UK.

1. Understanding Urban Parks 2. Parks in the Urban Environment 3. Parks as Social and Political Landscapes 4. Public Parks as Employers 5. Ideal Playgrounds?: Parks and the Development of Popular Recreation 6. Parks and the Green Agenda 7. Public Parks, Leisure and the Popular Imagination