Accessibility and inclusive use of public spaces within the city-centre of Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose Issues pertaining to accessibility and inclusiveness of public spaces are not explicitly discussed in developing nations. Thus, this study aims to explore how ease of access and socio-economic status of residents influence the use of city-centre public spaces in Ibadan, Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach A survey involving users (N = 427) of three different types of public spaces (shopping mall, park and recreational centre) was undertaken. Statistical analysis including Kruskal Wallis H-test and ordered logistic regression analysis were used in determining the differences in the public spaces attributes and predicting the determinants of use. Findings The analysis revealed that the use of a private car, income and gender significantly predict the frequency of use. It was observed that the determinants of public space use differ across the three categories. In particular, accessibility better predicted the use of the park than it did for the shopping mall or the recreation club. Practical implications It brings to fore ways through which city planning in developing countries can address social exclusion and spatial disparity within city-centres. Specifically, new proposals need to be sensitive to the walkability potentials when sitting parks whilst holistic efforts must be directed towards group-specific needs when planning shopping malls and recreation clubs. City management strategies, policies and incentives are required to encourage the use of public transportation systems within city-centre spaces as it presents a vital platform for improving access and inclusive use. Originality/value The study fills the gap in the literature by extending knowledge on certain aspects of city-centre’s public spaces in a unique cultural setting. The implications of socioeconomic disparity on public space use became apparent.

Identifying the Spatial Patterns and Influencing Factors of Leisure and Tourism in Xi’an Based on Point of Interest (POI) Data

“…Research on urban leisure space mainly focuses on a particular type of public urban leisure space, such as parks [16], green spaces [17], sports and recreation sites [18], cultural venues [19], and coastal areas [20]. Most of the literature focuses on the planning and management of urban leisure space [21], public access to recreational spaces [22], health perceptions [23], and service experiences [24]. Research on urban tourism space mainly focuses on a certain type of tourism resource, such as hotels [25,26], homestay [27], scenic spots [28], and cultural heritage sites [29], etc., and studies on the spatial patterns of urban tourism [30,31], tourist spatial behavior [32], urban tourism spatial planning [33], and the evolution of the spatial structure of urban tourism [34].…”

“…Traditionally, urban leisure and tourism spatial data were mostly obtained through case studies [20], participatory observation [21], in-depth interviews [35], and other methods. With the advent of the big data era, some open platforms now provide big data, such as digital footprints [36], mobile positioning data [37], geotagged photos [38], and point of interest (POI) data [39], which have changed the original paradigms around geospatial data acquisition and research methods [40].…”