Access and use of community parks in the city of Ekurhuleni : how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the people-park relationship

Abstract

Despite the strategic importance of community parks for low-income areas where residents are often confined into densely occupied living areas, these parks remain neglected and research about the sense of connectedness or sense of place attachment of community members to parks require more engagement. This study seeks to understand the perceptions and use of community parks within the City of Ekurhuleni. Using place perception as the analytic entry point, the research investigates how geographic (proximity), socio-cultural characteristics and individual psychometric factors influence people-park dynamics. More specifically, the study interrogates how the physical attributes of parks and users’ perceptions about parks intersects to affect the use patterns of community parks and how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the nature of people-park interactions. It is hoped that better insights gained into people's perceptions about parks could inform future planning and park management in the long run.

The researcher applied a descriptive research method to conduct the research to understand the different phenomenon and their characteristics. The descriptive approach was applied to two case studies (community parks) within the Ekurhuleni municipality. The study used social judgment theory to assess how user's affinity to their respective community parks have shaped their perceptions and use of the park’s facilities, and how community parks' functionality and use have changed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Data collected were triangulated by gathering information from different sources, including various forms of literature, in-depth interviews, questionnaires, and personal observation. The data collected were captured into Microsoft Excel and then organized and processed. The study applied descriptive statistical analysis to create statistical graphs and cross tabulations to illustrate the results. One of the key findings of this research was that community members living in close proximity to community parks in townships tend to visit parks in close proximity more frequently as transport costs for travel to the parks are seen as a luxury for those located a bit further away from the parks. Results from the study found that a high number of respondents who said that they visited their community parks frequently for longer periods of time (frequency of visits, and the time spent) were drawn to these parks due to the level of maintenance and safety of community parks located near users. The results also revealed a clear gendered distinction with female respondents indicating a lower frequency; and shorter duration of park visitation due to concerns related to the quality of ablution facilities and safety concerns. Moreover, the level of desired amenities, and clean facilities which were regarded as aesthetically appealing, have the potential to influence park visitation and use. The study results are consistent with other studies, which found that certain factors affect people-park interactions and contribute to community park underutilization and decline. These include poor maintenance, changing policies, reduced budgets, criminal activities, the presence of homeless people, and safety concerns. The study concludes that community parks were underutilized during the period when COVID-19 lockdown regulations were instituted due to increased criminal activities, strict COVID-19 restrictions, and fear of contracting the corona virus. The study also concludes that people’s sense of connection, their sense of place and level of place attachment to community parks have been fractured during COVID-19 lockdown, and that their sense of connection is still somewhat disjointed even in the subsequent levels of lock-down despite the lower restrictive levels. This study concludes with the recommendations that community members should be involved in all stages of community park planning, implementation, and management to meet the needs of specific groups. Preferences of all community subgroups should be incorporated into the planning and maintenance of community park facilities. The nature of activities, maintenance, and strategies to ensure people’s safety should be co-designed with community members to ensure equitable and accessible good-quality parks for all in South Africa, especially for those living in predominantly low-income urban areas.