TOWARDS IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE RESIDENTIAL INNER CITY: A CASE STUDY OF ALBERT PARK. Contemporary inner city housing developments are riddled with anti-social challenges in the form of crime, alcohol abuse and drug dealing. Socio-spatial forces shaping the city center Burgess's concentric zone model of the city The Apartheid City.
This is the group of people who live in the city center in the form of young people, adults and their children. Therefore, the main focus of this thesis is mainly on meeting the leisure needs of the urban dweller. Are the existing facilities sufficient and suitable to meet the needs of city residents?
The existing leisure facilities and spaces in inner city housing are not able to improve the quality of life in inner city housing, as there is ongoing social and environmental deterioration. It has been shown that there is a fundamental lack of shared leisure facilities and spaces in the housing development in the inner city. In the process, the quality of housing in the inner city deteriorated significantly, resulting in almost slum conditions.
As a result, there has been a change in terms of the character of urban core development in the South African context.
Rural Settlement
In dealing with the issue of recreation for city dwellers, it is crucial to understand the chronological forces and principles which influence the form and character of the inner city dwelling. It is believed that this will help to create an awareness of what can be foreseen in the future with regard to the housing in the inner city. This theory deals with the cyclical revolutionary process that housing developments go through, and it is noticeable that South African cities also tend to go through this process.
First wave of development
Developed, high quality residential
Packing
Thinning
Recapture
Another type of leisure is in the form of alienated leisure, according to Richards (1995) this type of leisure is also shaped by strong associations with institutional structures. The gender role obligations of women in the family are an example of this type of leisure. It is important to note that not all free time constitutes free time, especially for women who have to perform constant housework often at home.
In the residential inner city there is a serious problem of unemployment and this has a negative effect on the leisure patterns of unemployed youth. Failure to engage in a deeper understanding of such factors may exacerbate the problems occurring in the residential downtown and undermine the success of future development efforts. It can be argued in the South African context that this trend is rapidly diminishing due to problems such as unemployment.
It is important to have a coherent understanding of the economic and cultural background of inner city residents and it is clear that the inner city is home to predominantly low income groups, so the recreational facilities available to them must be sustainable. and affordable or free whenever possible. After outlining the sociological concepts and politico-spatial theories of the city center that are relevant to the provision of leisure in the previous chapters, it is appropriate at this point to consider the key structural components that apply to the planning and formulation of leisure policy in the residential context of the city core. Each approach should be analyzed and explained in the next section of this study.
Past participation in selected activities is used to determine opportunities to be secured in the future. The key is to understand the social-psychological aspect of leisure time from a public-private perspective. It is crucial for an open space to be part of a pedestrian system, as it is believed that people prefer to walk rather than observers and participants in the urban scene.
This means that there must be an integration that incorporates physical and psychological safety as it promotes intellectual comfort and security in society. Newman (1972) defines the concept of defensible space as a surrogate term for the range of mechanisms in the form of real and symbolic barriers. All these different elements lead to a sense of community and ownership, so that the living space is well maintained and the quality of life is improved.
In the past, planners and officials have relied on the traditional provision of a city park as the 'solution to downtown recreation problems'. According to Heckscher (1977), the park is often ineffective because it is in the wrong part of the city or of a size that is difficult to maintain and patrol.
COMMUNITY CENTRE
The goal was to provide services in the interest of all members of the community. These sporadic forms were arranged around the main space in the form of a multi-purpose sports hall. In relation to addressing the needs of the community, there is an association of residents in the form of the Greenwich Millennium Village Association (GMVA).
This can be attributed to the determined and passionate attitude of the officials and planners involved. In addition, the current condition and use of the existing recreational facilities and spaces will be critically analysed. Albert Park was developed in the late 19th century for middle-income white communities.
Now that this has been done, the research will go deeper, in terms of analyzing the leisure facilities and spaces from the case study in the next chapter. The effectiveness of the leisure facilities will be derived from the use of the recreational planning parameters mentioned in the theoretical framework of this thesis. Furthermore, community facilities such as crèches, a post office and worship services are part of the Albert Park neighborhood.
In terms of recreational facilities, the park itself is one of the few large public open spaces close to the CBD. By observation, most of the residents in the area use these facilities more in their leisure time, and these facilities are busy most of the time. As a result, this part of Albert Park is quiet, and it is possible that this is done deliberately to match the peaceful environment of the park.
The argument is that the park must match the characteristics of the people it is intended for. It is believed that this would provide a broader scope towards uncovering the underlying social factors that influence the leisure choices of the Albert Park community. According to Steele, residents do not recognize the value of the park, but they do recognize that it is unsafe and that anti-social activities take place.
It is believed that the implementation of new dimensions, attitudes, lifestyles and ethics can reshape the leisure patterns of the youth to a better direction. Low-income inner-city housing as an option in the housing delivery process: A case study of the Albert Park and Puntpad areas.
List of Interviewees
Interview questions
34;That is the purpose of the park in the Albert Park city center housing community. IW important are recreational facilities and spaces in improving the quality of life of the youth.
List of Illustrations
