Identification of the Use of Urban Parks in Ankara

Abstract

As one of the fundamental components of cities, parks act as bridges between urban residents and nature. Urban parks emerged as a result of crowded cities and environmental pollution after the industrial revolution, and they maintain their importance today. Parks in Ankara were used as part of the country’s restructuring during the Republican Period. This article aims to identify the uses of urban parks in Ankara, focusing on Altınpark, Gençlik Park, Göksu Park and Seğmenler Park. A user satisfaction survey was applied to 1091 people (533 male and 558 female). This research revealed that users come to these parks with their own cars, reaching these parks within 15-30 mins. Users come either with their friends or family as groups of 3-6, and stay for about 1-3 hours. The reasons cited for visiting parks are related to relaxing factors such as spending time in nature, relaxation, meeting friends. Therefore, users describe themselves as happy, peaceful and free during their visits. Users find cultural activities and parking lots inadequate, and expect parks to be wellmaintained and cleaner.

Keywords

• urban park
• park use
• user satisfaction
• green space
• ankara