THE PEOPLE’S PERCEPTIONS ON AESTHETIC AND USES OF THE ACTIVE URBAN PARKS IN SURABAYA

Abstract

Urban open space namely urban parks in Surabaya are a recent phenomenon that advocated by the recent mayor to provide outdoor recreation for physical welfare of the people. So far, however, no information was found regarding perception of the people on condition of the urban parks, which is a first step to improve the urban parks. The objective of this paper is to examine the perception of the people toward the urban parks in Surabaya, in specific to what extend the provision of the parks meet the needs of the visitors. Five urban parks were surveyed, and data were collected through observation, documentation, and distribution of questionnaires that conducted in April 2014. As a result, based upon the surveys, most of the visitors (78%) perceived the 5 parks are good places to be visited that perceived as clean (74%), save (76%), gorgeous (78%), and adequate availability of amenities (66%). In this sense, this good perception of the parks is a result of emphatic actions in designing the parks that emphasis on the needs of visitors. Nevertheless, in the future, many of the visitors (54%) hope that the amenities in the parks have to be improved.