Entrenching Urban Parks in Green Infrastructure: A Study of Surulere Township in Metropolitan Lagos
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Date
2015-05-01
Authors
Adejumo, O. T.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Lagos
Abstract
The poor quality of Nigerian urban environment has been attributed partly to the inadequate, misuse and mismanagement of green infrastructure. It exerted major strain on the physical outlook of the cityscapes and a negative effect on the productivity of the residents. The paper examines practical strategies to increase park area on demographic basis in Surulere Local Government Area. The study is underpinned by green infrastructure principles. The paper recognised the importance of previous desktop studies in the metropolis and Surulere Local Government area especially demographic survey on community development area basis. Semi structured interviews of purposively chosen community leaders and questionnaires were used to comprehend urban parks needs of Surulere people.
The study revealed that 327 hectares of planned open spaces currently exist in Surulere. 50% of the existing planned open spaces are privately owned while 45% and 5% are institutional and public spaces respectively. Further revelation shows that 1043 hectares of public park area is required to meet recreational demand of 1,184,000 people. Acquiring land to meet this deficit explored bioremediation of polluted wetlands and illegal refuse dumps. Besides absorbing the 1043 hectares deficit the suggested reclamation will provide much needed opportunity to turn these brown fields to green area in this season of climate change negative impacts. In the absence of city government and failure of Local Government in discharging the constitutional right of urban park provision, the paper recommended the need for constitutional review that will empower State Government to develop parks as green infrastructure hubs.
Description
Staff publications
Keywords
Urban Park , Green Infrastructure , Urban Open Spaces , Public Open Spaces , Values , Research Subject Categories::TECHNOLOGY::Civil engineering and architecture
Citation
Adejumo, O.T (2015). Entrenching Urban Parks in Metropolitan Lagos Green Infrastructure (A Case Study of Surulere Township in Metropolitan Lagos. The Lagos Journal of Environmental Studies. Faculty of Environmental Sciences. University of Lagos. Akoka, 9(2)4-79