When Is a Park More Than a Park? Rethinking the Role of Parks as “Shared Space” in Post-Conflict Belfast
, John Sturzaker 2, Alice Correia 3, Mary Gearey 4, Neale Blair 5, Luciana Lang 6 and Fearghus O’Sullivan 1
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
land-1899061-peer-review-v1
When is a park more than a park? Rethinking the role of parks as “shared space” in post-conflict Belfast
This is an elegant and well written paper that makes a significant contribution to the literature.
Also, building on this, how did the authors ensure that the numerous direct quotes cannot be tracked back to the originators. How is anonymity ensured?
Minor issues
Figure 1 is utterly illegible
Figure 5 is utterly illegible
The manuscript needs an editing run as there are some infelicities
Line 39 ‘comapred’
Line 201 Figure captions go below figures…
Line 292 ditto
Author Response
We would like to thank the review for their comments and kind words about the paper - these are always appreciated. Additionally, we have undertaken the following to address the comments made by the reviewer and to enhance the paper more generally.
1. Also, building on this, how did the authors ensure that the numerous direct quotes cannot be tracked back to the originators. How is anonymity ensured?
Response - We have added an additional set of commentary to the Methodology section and specifically lines 390-400 to address the issue of anonymity. We have not used personal identifiable information when using quotes (except for location), and make not reference to any names or addresses. As a consequence no participants can be identified due to their comments.
2. Minor issues
Figure 1 is utterly illegible
Figure 5 is utterly illegible
Response - We understand the difficulty in reviewing the figures - especially if seen in greyscale. We had initially used purple as this is the colour most often used in public documents in Belfast but have modified the figures to improve their clarity. We have made significant changes to the colour scheme used for Figures 1 and 5. This helps to highlight the location of parks and peacelines more clearly, and to demarcate areas of significant Catholic and Protestant communities. The surrounding areas of Belfast have been coloured pink to add further contrast. Moreover, we have added an additional commentary to the legend for each figure to provide more detail of what can be seen.
3. The manuscript needs an editing run as there are some infelicities
Line 39 ‘comapred’
Line 201 Figure captions go below figures…
Line 292 ditto
Response - we have undertaken a thorough edit of the paper to address the typographical noted above to and improve the clarity of expression throughout.
Reviewer 2 Report
This is an interesting study of the role of parks in a contested landscape. On the whole it is well written, though there are a number of corrections needed.
line 75 - examine
line 97-101 - the sentence doesn't make sense
line 122 - Examples include
line 153 - should be [32] rather than Byrne and Gormley-Heenan 2014
line 157 - the numbered reference for Nagle is missing
Figure 1 - is too low resolution and the captions are illegible
line 211 - a park's location
line 220 - cities
line 234 - differing
lines 248-250 - raises questions is repeated
line 252 - Lee [46] who
line 255 - a page number is needed for the quote
line 260 - perceive
line 263 - complemented
line 286 - a generalisable
line 302 - I think you mean use rather than utility
line 306 - park
lines 338-340 - the sentence doesn't make sense
line 346 - there is a word missing after being
line 354 - As a result (not resultantly)
line 361 - suggests
line 363 - park
line 376 - park
lines 456-457 - the sentence doesn't make sense
line 471 - delete by users
line 540 - was (not with)
line 541 - a significant proportion of users was engaging
line 556 - between people
line 569 - online respondents arguing that
line 616 - delete present
line 621 - and therefore do not (delete and)
figure 5 - same comment as for figure 1
line 666 - do you mean i.e., or do you mean e.g.? (and, indeed, throughout the manuscript I had the same query)
line 669-670 - broken down
line 719-720 - the sentence doesn't make sense
linen 735-736 - the sentence doesn't make sense
line 753 - park (not park/s)
line 769 - map
The author contributions needs to be completed
References: these need to be checked carefully. For example [25] the issue and page numbers are missing. Delete [41] in reference 2. Why is the date of retrieval given for some of the journal articles? This is unusual.
Author Response
We would like to thank the reviewer for their considered thoughts on the paper. We have taken them into account and made changes accordingly. This includes a thorough edit of the paper, modifications to Figure 1 and 5, and the edits listed below.
line 75 - examine
Changed in the text.
line 97-101 - the sentence doesn't make sense
We have rewritten this sentence to add further clarity to the statement.
line 122 - Examples include
We have names three examples in the text to highlight places where this occurs.
line 153 - should be [32] rather than Byrne and Gormley-Heenan 2014
Thank you picking this up - we have changed it according.
line 157 - the numbered reference for Nagle is missing
Thank you picking this up - we have changed it according. We have altered the numbering from Nagle onwards in the text and in the reference list.
Figure 1 - is too low resolution and the captions are illegible
We understand the difficulty in reviewing the figures - especially if seen in greyscale. We had initially used purple as this is the colour most often used in public documents in Belfast but have modified the figures to improve their clarity. We have made significant changes to the colour scheme used for Figures 1 and 5. This helps to highlight the location of parks and peacelines more clearly, and to demarcate areas of significant Catholic and Protestant communities. The surrounding areas of Belfast have been coloured pink to add further contrast. Moreover, we have added an additional commentary to the legend for each figure to provide more detail of what can be seen.
line 211 - a park's location
Changed in the text.
line 220 - cities
Changed in the text.
line 234 - differing
Changed in the text.
lines 248-250 - raises questions is repeated
We have deleted the duplication of raises questions.
line 252 - Lee [46] who
Changed in the text.
line 255 - a page number is needed for the quote
Page number has been added.
line 260 - perceive
Changed in the text.
line 263 - complemented
Changed in the text.
line 286 - a generalisable
Changed in the text.
line 302 - I think you mean use rather than utility
Changed in the text.
line 306 - park
Changed in the text.
lines 338-340 - the sentence doesn't make sense
We have modified the sentence to improve its clarity.
line 346 - there is a word missing after being
Changed in the text.
line 354 - As a result (not resultantly)
Changed in the text.
line 361 - suggests
Changed in the text.
line 363 - park
Changed in the text.
line 376 - park
Changed in the text.
lines 456-457 - the sentence doesn't make sense
We have modified this sentence to provide additional clarity.
line 471 - delete by users
Changed in the text.
line 540 - was (not with)
Changed in the text.
line 541 - a significant proportion of users was engaging
Changed in the text.
line 556 - between people
Changed in the text.
line 569 - online respondents arguing that
Changed in the text.
line 616 - delete present
Changed in the text.
line 621 - and therefore do not (delete and)
Changed in the text.
figure 5 - same comment as for figure 1
See comment above for Figure 1.
line 666 - do you mean i.e., or do you mean e.g.? (and, indeed, throughout the manuscript I had the same query)
We have changed several uses of i.e. to e.g. but kept a small number number of i.e. where they are deemed appropriate.
line 669-670 - broken down
Changed in the text.
line 719-720 - the sentence doesn't make sense
We have modified the sentence to add greater clarity.
linen 735-736 - the sentence doesn't make sense
We have revised this sentence to add further clarity.
line 753 - park (not park/s)
Changed in the text.
line 769 - map
Changed in the text.
The author contributions needs to be completed
These have been added.
References: these need to be checked carefully. For example [25] the issue and page numbers are missing. Delete [41] in reference 2. Why is the date of retrieval given for some of the journal articles? This is unusual.
We have revised the reference list to address this issue. This has removed the access dates.
