Planning of urban residential local parks in Kuala Lumpur

© 2006 Dr. Melasutra Md DaliUrban parks of different shapes, sizes, types and purposes have been established in cities and towns throughout the world in response to the dramatic growth of industry and the dynamic changes in the urban population over the last few decades. In Kuala Lumpur this has resulted in the setting up of some grand parks and gardens, but local parks in residential areas have been relatively neglected. Local parks have been provided by requiring developers of residential subdivisions to set aside a certain percentage of the total area for parks, but very little is known about the patterns of use of these parks, or their functions within the residential setting. As the dynamics of cities change, it is expected that the uses and roles of parks, and the value people put on them will also change, and it will be necessary for planners to understand how to deal with such changes. The aim of the study was to establish what people in Kuala Lumpur need from their local parks, how well the parks meet these needs, and what are the flaws in a planning system that can produce wonderful grand parks and gardens, yet neglect the local parks in residential areas. The existing condition of all the local parks in residential areas was evaluated by a site survey that established how they were designed, what facilities were provided and how well they were managed. This survey revealed wide divergences in the quality of the various parks. Cluster analysis was used to select three of them spanning the range of qualities, and residents in the areas surrounding these three parks were asked about their current use of the parks, their perceptions about park design and maintenance, and their suggestions for improving them. The study concluded that the provision of local parks, their design and their management were for the most part inadequate for recreational purposes, especially in areas of poorer socio-economic status. Nevertheless the ‘green’ and ‘natural’ components of the parks were invaluable for the social, ecological and cultural aspects of neighbourhood environment in all areas. More attention will need to be given to this aspect of park design. It is speculated that the wide divergence between the quality of the grand parks and gardens and the local parks is due to an inadequate response by Kuala Lumpur’s local government to the pressures of globalization – too much of the available resources of money and professional skill is being given to the promotion of the international image of the city at the expense of the formation and transformation of the communities of its citizens