This YouTube video ("LONELINESS is the real pandemic...", uploaded by James Laughlin on Sept 26, 2023) argues that loneliness can be mitigated by activating outdoor public spaces. The speaker recommends physical and amenity interventions—chairs, shade, trees, lighting, cameras, music—to encourage people to meet, feel secure at night, and keep CBDs (example: Christchurch) open after business hours.
If we want them to reduce the loneliness and actually meet and brainstorm or talk to or get to know each other, we have to make sure that the infrastructure outside is ready for that. So that means put chairs outside, put shade outside, put trees, cameras, light for the night so you'll feel comfortable at night, not, you know, as in the morning. Like I remember talking to the CBD in Christchurch, where most of the businesses would close at 5 or 6 in the afternoon. Everybody goes to their home. And I said, hey, let's open up a little bit the city. Let's put, put lights on, let's put music, let's put cameras so our personal security will feel better.
