Community/neighbourhood park use in Cape Town : a class-differentiated analysis

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to determine how class differentiation influences local residents‟ perceptions, preferences, needs and use of community/neighbourhood parks in the City of Cape Town. The research objectives included mapping the social geography and park provision; determining profile information, general park-usage information, outdoor recreation options, service-delivery perceptions and levels of park satisfaction; and making suggestions to the City Parks Department. Data were collected from the Flowmap and geographic information systems (GIS) programmes, the 2007 Community Survey, Census 2001 and questionnaires that were distributed through schools. Two Flowmap and GIS proximity analyses were conducted. Questionnaire data were processed at the automatic scanner of the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at Stellenbosch University. Open-ended data were manually analysed in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), Excel and Word. The research findings indicate that class differences have an effect on the respondents‟ demographic profiles, park provision, park usage and contentment with parks. The high- and middle-income group respondents can reach more parks, mostly within 0-5 minutes. Park provision and park proximity are more problematic for the low-income group respondents. The low-income group children frequent parks the most and visit them the longest. Children and adults in all income groups mostly walk to parks. Parks are used for active and passive recreation during different life stages. The low-income group respondents are more satisfied with service delivery, while no income groups regard parks and recreation as a crucial service to improve. Parks are also not an important outdoor recreation option for any income group. The respondents‟ fears and dissatisfaction related to parks were expressed through concerns regarding safety and maintenance and a lack of park facilities and vegetation, which influences their satisfaction with parks. Future research recommendations include a park analysis of more diverse demographic profiles, distributing questionnaires to various places with authority, integrating research on community/neighbourhood park usage and the open-space system, and researching the challenges, solutions and means to encourage interclass park usage in desegregated areas.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University