Assessment of Recreational Facilities in Federal Capital City, Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Abuja Master Plan provided development of adequate Green Areas and other Recreational Facilities within the Federal Capital City (FCC), as part of its sustainability principles and provided for these recreational facilities within each neighborhood (FCDA, 1979). However, there have been several recent foul cries about the negative development of recreational facilities and the abuse of the Master Plan in the FCC. The motivation for carrying out this study arose from the observation that recreational facilities in Phase 1 of the Federal Capital City Abuja are not clearly developed as intended by the policy makers and thus, the need to identify the recreational facilities in the Phase 1 of FCC and observe their level of development as well as usage. The field survey revealed that the Central Business District and Gazupe have higher numbers of recreational facilities with 45 and 56. While Wuse II (A08) and Wuse II (A07) Districts have lesser recreational facilities with 10 and 17. The field survey further revealed that all the districts in Phase 1 have over 35% cases of land use changes from recreational facilities to other use. The survey shows that over 65% of these recreational facilities are fully developed. The study also shows that just about 11% of the recreational sporting facilities were developed in line with the Abuja Master Plan in Phase 1. The study revealed that recreational facilities in Phase 1 of the FCC, Abuja has not being developed in compliance with the Abuja Master Plan. Abstrak Master Plan Abuja menyediakan pengembangan Area Hijau yang memadai dan Fasilitas rekreasi lainnya dalam Federal Capital City (FCC) -Ibu Kota Federal -, sebagai bagian dari prinsip-prinsip keberlanjutan dan menyediakan fasilitas-fasilitas rekreasi dalam setiap lingkungan (FCDA, 1979). Namun, ada beberapa kecaman tentang pembangunan negatif fasilitas rekreasi dan penyalahgunaan Master Plan di FCC. Motivasi untuk melaksanakan penelitian ini muncul dari hasil pengamatan bahwa pembangunan fasilitas rekreasi di Tahap 1 dari Federal Ibu

Assessment of the Role of Greenbelts in Environmental and Socio-Economic Development of Urban Areas in Southeast Nigeria

“…They are also in line with view that having developments around the boundaries of greenbelts (where there exist) and relying on Brown fields as alternative sources of urban land for housing can help to conserve greenbelts in urban areas [15]. Notably, the idea of having physical developments beyond the boundaries of greenbelts can help in air pollution control and storm water runoff reduction, reduction in urban heat island [18,19], enhancement of the aesthetics value of urban landscape, [37,52], provision of place for relaxation [24,52], leisure and recreation activities within urban neighbourhoods [53]. Similarly, the suggestion on the use of Brownfields for housing development seems to have great potentials in the study area.…”

“…88 of 1992 has made provision for urban centers to have a good proportional of land use designated as open spaces from which recreation parks could be developed for leisure, physical exercises and in Environmental and Socio-Economic Development of Urban Areas in Southeast Nigeria social interactions, and for environmental sustainability. In line with this, it has been revealed that in Nigerian's Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, greenbelts in forms of parks and gardens such as Millennium Park, Abuja Zoological Park and Gardens, Orange Park and Gardens, National Children's Park and Zoo and others have been created for relaxation, recreation and improvement of the city's environmental sustainability status [53]. In Owerri, the existing greenbelts have also been identified as key sources of medicinal plants and food tree; and thus contributing to the health of the residents [25].…”

“…The reason for inclusion of green spaces in the design and planning of many cities are not farfetched as the literature is replete with studies on the environmental, social and economic benefits of greenbelts to cities and their inhabitants [6]. For examples, several authors have revealed that green belts in cities play diverse roles in promoting urban sustainability by enhancing the aesthetics of urban landscape [30,52]; providing space for relaxation [52,53], leisure and recreation [24]; and serving as watershed, wetlands and agricultural lands for food production [44]. They also help in curbing urban sprawl and urban amalgamation [54], serving as sources of medicinal plants and food trees [25,55].…”