A Study of the peoples perception of the Urban Green Spaces: Case study of Colombo City

Research Background

Urban Green Space (UGS) play a vital role in enhancing the quality of urban life and fulfill lot of functions to balancing the built and natural environment. The importance of UGSs to keep the balance between built and natural environment of cities are illustrated by many benefits such as: improve the quality of life and contribute to peoples’ physical and psychological health; increasing urban biodiversity, increasing opportunities for recreational, can increase the aesthetic values of the city, maintain the natural processes, enhancing the social participation, creating more economic potentials , enhance the ecological values and offer great opportunities for wide range of fields. Therefore it is crystal clear that UGS is a vital element of urban environment and if it is absence or less will have appeared could lead to many problems in urban context. The decisions which have taken by planner are more crucial to create sustainable urban environment. The perspective of decision makers about the UGSs is mostly valuable to make rational decisions. Therefore it is vital to identify what is meant as UGS by public or how public define UGS according to their sense. Those facts will more crucial to making or upgrading any PUGS for urban community. The planning without identifying what is the exact will of the public has high probability of underutilized of PUGS. Discerned of the perception of PUGS in the Sri Lankan context will be a significant part to develop a local approach to planning and designing of PUGS.

Research Question: How do people define UGS and do people fulfill their expectations through which they perceive from the UGS?

Research Objectives: To identify the means and values given by the urban community for UGS and To identify the hierarchy of urban green space values. 

Research Workflow:

Literature Review

Through this literature review the main focus is on the way that urban green spaces (UGS) had become a conversational topic today considering historical background and significance of it’s in city functions. Furthermore explicate the significance of UGS within the context of urban space, how does the UGS define in different disciplines and countries, classification of UGS, characteristics and benefits of UGS regarding its functions, uses, attributes and spatial settings. Also illustrate the qualitative and quantitative methods which were used to assess the UGS in different fields.

( References are given below which were used for literature review) 

Research Design

UGS values which are selected through value filtering methods are shown at below flow chart.

Techniques used for this: AHP-Analytical Hierarchical Process  and statistic integration.

Sample size: 150 persons

Sample Methods: Random sampling ( Questionnaire Survey )

Creating the importance hierarchy of the Urban Green Space values.

Comparisons Judgments regard to the UGS values

 For Example :

By using AHP technique and values which judge by general public, EXPECTATION VALUE of UGS has been calculated. Expectation Value is the value which urban dwellers anticipate from UGS's relative to all other values. 

Judgments & description regard to the assigning values for UGS values

For Example :

 



By using the assessing values of particular UGS's and using Statistic Integration method; PERCEPTION VALUE of particular UGS has been calculated.     

Case Studies

    Case Study 01: Galle Face

Galle face is the largest open space in the city of Colombo today and it is stretching about half a kilometer along the Indian Ocean. According to the history of this location, it was used for horse racing and as a golf course. Also the original Galle face green was much larger than which is existing today. This had been originally laid out in 1859 by the British governor of Ceylon, Sir Henry Ward. Also it was famous as Colpetty Race Course at that time. Though it is about 5 hectares of strip of green turf land, today it has shrunk from its large expanse in 19^th century to a mere 18 acres which was diminished under the road expansion and fenced in streamlining in the 21^st century. Today Galle face is the attraction destination for thousands of local as well as foreign tourists’ of city of Colombo throughout the year. This has become one of popular place for the children, lovers, kite flyers, vendors, and teenagers. The attractive scenic environment of sky, sea and land can be observed by anyone who stays 24 hour period in there. Ceylon Continental Hotel and Galle Face Hotel is located adjacent to these places, which are one of oldest and most popular hotels in Sri Lanka. The Urban Development Authority (UDA) is maintaining this place today.

Galle face was used for numerous activities throughout the years. Predominantly it is used as the recreational and social gathering place of Colombo city. When considering of its nature of UGS values it has high recreational and social value as the gathering place of urban community of Colombo; not only the Colombo urban dwellers, but also local people who come from different areas of the country and even foreigners too. Surrounding environment has supported for increase of its aesthetic values as well. One part of it has strip of mobile and temporary huts which are used for commercial purpose.

Nearly hundreds of employees are continuing their employment in this strip such as many food sellers, toys seller, etc... If someone comes there at evening or weekends it can be observed well. So Galle face has created life supportive values to Colombo and suburban community.

If someone has visited this place in the early morning, lot of people use this for jogging and exercises purposes. Army forces also used this place for to do aerobics. If anyone comes there and sit on for few hours looking towards the sea, he or she can take a good mental enthusiasm. Lot of elderly people as well as younger community uses that habit. In this sense, it is observed that Galle Face Green has therapeutic values as well. If someone visits here in the morning or evening, he can observe lot of birds. Though he can observe less number of species, shady area but there is a biological value and isolation value as well.Galle face has also used for the celebration of National Day Ceremony on 4^th of February during many years except few times. Also many historical ceremonies were also celebrated there. This has created national & cultural value for this place. Though Galle face has different UGS values; it is different according to perception of urban dwellers or users. Also the important of the place is also differences according to their outlook. Therefore it is important to define UGS considering its values.  

 Case Study 02: Vihara Maha Devi Park

The Vihara Maha Devi Park (VMDP) is the oldest and largest public park of Colombo. It is located adjacent to Colombo Town Hall building. This park was built during the period of British rule of Sri Lanka. At that time, this park was named as Victoria Park. Later, the Park was renamed during 1950's as the name of mother of King Dutugamunu “Vihara Maha Devi”.

The Vihara Maha Devi Park is the large scale public park in Colombo, and is maintained by the Municipal Council of Colombo (CMC). Which is full of green areas and it is one of perfect place to visit and it gives aesthetic pleasure to the weary traveler. The parks and gardens in Colombo have existed over a large area and are home to a number of trees and flowering plants. Those play an important role of the city’s environment. The Western part of the park has separated for Children Park, which is called as “Sathutu Uyana”. The park has rich diversity in spices of flora and fauna. The park also included with a huge Buddha statue and a series of water fountains.Many families, young couples, school children can be observed daily in the park. Very calm and quiet environment is existing within the park. It is one of attractive place of urban dwellers of Colombo Concrete Jungle.

Vihara Maha Devi Park is most aesthetically pleasure place of city of Colombo. It gives more value to Concrete Jungle. VMDP has high diversity of species than other parks of Colombo. Therefore park has high aesthetic and biological value.  Sathutu Uyana and the play area basically reserved for children. So children use this as the recreational area as well. Many people who come for the administration duties and hospital from different areas are waiting at the park until their time reached. So it is one of the common social gathering places in the city of Colombo. The clam and quite environment, shade areas, cool environment background creates a big difference of the climate of the urban area. Mentally it gives strong concentration rather than other areas of city Colombo. Lots of elderly people come and experience this feeling. It can be seen within the park if someone has visited. Lot of young couple also attracted to this park. Though surrounding environment creates more noise, within the park it is rather different. In the morning lot of people used park and surrounded shady area of the park for jogging and to do some exercises. Normally school children also can be seen within the park that comes for the observation of biodiversity or other educational purposes. Although there are no commercial huts within the park, few mobile sellers are in there.

Analysis Results

According to above chart; Therapeutic value which expected from PUGS is higher than the other values. In here therapeutic value means physiological & psychological positive impacts to urban dwellers and positive impacts of micro climate changes such as cool, fresh environment, background for the jogging and other exercise as well as mental treatments. To a certain extent, it is clear that urban dwellers expect their natural cooling system of the air, as well as comfortable natural environment rather than hard concrete environment. Also according to their outlook; PUGS should have high recreational as well as aesthetics value. The ideas of the urban dwellers about the recreational value are seemed to be that they expect more opportunities of recreational which are linked with nature. It may be green or blue environment or both. This is the reason behind the high recreational value. Also social interaction and life supportive values have considerable amount of high values. Most of them have explained about PUGS are better location for social gathering. Specially mentioned it is pleasure to see with water body with green nature. People opinion about life supportive value is high due to PUGS has recreational and social interaction value. Bio-ecological value is moderate considering all other values. Being PUGS, it has least consideration on the historical, cultural, isolation and educational values. In here, the isolation value is more considered on the safety and barrier functions and uniqueness of green space.

Galle Face  Perception value & expectation values of PUGS

When considering above spider diagram it is clearly understand most of UGS values of Galle face relatively follow the expectation value of people. Though therapeutic value has less value than the expectation, but it has high value comparing to other values. Galle face has a highly social interaction value which is higher than the expectation. Many publics come to Galle face from every where of Sri Lanka. It is reasoning behind the high social interaction value. The values which have higher expectation of peoples’ also have relatively high values of considering the same values at Galle face. It has defined that people expectation of UGS and what they identify as UGS relatively similar to Galle face.  

VMDP Perception value & expectation values of PUGS  

When considering the therapeutic value, bio ecological value, recreational and isolation values of the VMDP, it has significance different for comparing to the expectation values. Though therapeutic value and recreational values perception are less than the expectation; those have relatively high value regarding to other UGS values.

When considering the bio-ecological value and the isolation value those values have relatively high value considering other UGS values and perception values than the expectation values.

The species diversity of VMDP is relatively high considering other UGS. According to IUCN research it is one of host spots of Colombo city which have high urban biodiversity. It can clearly identify if someone visited to Colombo city and VMDP. The high bio-ecological value has represented this significance vary of perception and expectation value. VMDP has highly significance of isolation value. It is the unique element of the city Colombo and it can act as the safety place for people. Also it is barrier for noise and dust as well. Though surrounding environment has high noise, within the park it is very less.

When considering the people expectation values of the PUGS of city Colombo and the perception values that they have given to two case studies have emerged some boundary for how they define PUGS or what they mean by PUGS.

The average value margin for all values was considered as the 10% (exact value 11.1%). It is clear that the areas which have therapeutic value, recreational value, social interaction value, aesthetic value and life supportive value more than 10% places define PUGS. Also emphasized that the bio-ecology, isolation, cultural and educational values are less significance at the moment. Those values also can emerge in future.

Conclusion & Recommendation

It is clear that urban green space is a vital element of the urban environment and it plays important role in life styles & behaviors of urban dwellers. Due to its vital role different values has been imposed upon UGS by the urban dwellers based on their own perceptions. This study focused on those values and tried to identify the perceptions of the people about the UGSs and how urban dwellers define those UGS in Colombo Municipal Council area. In order to that a set of previously defined values have been introduced to this study which were extracted from different disciplines regarding UGS.

People tend to respond on defining PUGS as the areas with accessible green spaces that holds high therapeutic, recreational, aesthetic, social interactive and life supportive qualities. When considering expectations and perceptions; it is clear that urban community was more anticipated about therapeutic, recreational, aesthetic and social interaction benefits from UGSs, while not much concern was given on ecological values, isolation values, educational values and cultural values in the case study area. However those values can appear in future with changes of urban context.

Planning is meant for the people, which direct the spatial planning practitioners to supply what is demanded by the users. Therefore if we think planning some PUGS for a particular area, higher priority must give for the mentioned five values above. Shady areas, benches, walking and jogging paths, landscapes with high aesthetic quality, places and facilities for public gathering and also employment and some economic advantage for local community must be provided.

In this study, only the public spaces have been considered while private spaces also possess a certain perceptions which are yet to be identified. And there are possible research questions remains open regarding the characteristics of UGS as it integrate with the urban context.

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