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Urban Studies, Vol. 44, No. 9, 1677-1695 (2007)
DOI: 10.1080/00420980701426665
© 2007 Urban Studies Journal Limited

Does Walking in the Neighbourhood Enhance Local Sociability?

Lorinne du Toit

Cancer Prevention Research Centre, School of Population Health, Public Health Building, Herston Road, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia, l.dutoit{at}sph.uq.edu.au

Ester Cerin

Institute of Human Performance, The University of Hong Kong, 111 Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, ecerin{at}hku.hk

Evie Leslie

School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Waterfront Campus, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, Victoria, Australia 3217, evie.leslie{at}deakin.edu.au

Neville Owen

Cancer Prevention Research Centre, School of Population Health, Public Health Building, Herston Road, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia, n.owen{at}sph.uq.edu.au

The walkability of urban neighbourhoods has emerged as a strong component in policy and design models for active, liveable communities. This paper examines the proposition that more walkable neighbourhoods encourage local social interaction, a sense of community, informal social control and social cohesion; and that the relationship is explained by walking for transport or for recreation. Multilevel analyses of data from an Australian sample showed a modest association between the walkability of a neighbourhood and sense of community only. Walking for transport, but not recreation, mediated this relationship although the effect was small. These results support contentions that 'walkability' is more complex than usually defined and that factors influencing neighbourhood sociability extend beyond issues of urban form.


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