Factors that Influence Participation and the Perception of Park Visitors Regarding Provisions for Recreation : A Case Study of Templer Park,Selangor

Templer Park which is situated between Rawang and Selayang in the state of Selangor is an important place for visitors to engage in recreational activities. Since more and more people are living in cities, Templer Park's function as one of the most important green spaces must be understood because people's interest for recreation activities is increasing. Therefore, this study investigated the reasons why some people choose Templer Park for recreation activities while some others decide not to. A survey questionnaire was carried out face to face with 159 respondents consisting of visitors at Templer Park. Another 16 respondents were nearby residents coming from neighbourhoods within 5 km to the park who got surveyed later on by postal questionnaire in order to provide more evidences for this study. The last respondent group comprising 25 people living in and around Rawang city got surveyed through online questionnaire in order to give more input for this study. It was found that the two main factors which put off respondents living nearby from coming to the park include being too busy with other chores and there was nothing interesting about the place. While it was true that the function of a regional park like Templer Park was to attract people from farther away towns and cities instead of near ones this did not mean people living nearby should not visit it at all. This study, therefore, recommended that the local government authority respond to this by improving signboards and information at the park in order to increase the people's awareness about the importance of the park. Also, its public provisions such as toilets and roads need to be kept in good condition in order to improve the people' perception regarding the park