Examining the Relationship Between Demographic Characters of Green Space Users and the Categorization of Green Spaces

The paper examines the relationship between the demographic characters of the users of green spaces and the activities they perform in green spaces. The study considers green spaces from a categorical perspective. Therefore, the study selected green spaces in the city of Kumasi that falls under three categories of green spaces. Using semi-structured questionnaires which were administered to green space users using interviews, data was obtained from 345 visitors of the categories of green spaces selected for this study. The selected green spaces in this study include KNUST Botanical Garden, KNUST Royal Parade Ground, and the road corridor that extends from the Ahodwo Roundabout to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Clinic. The findings of the study indicate that the linear green space and the functional green space attracted more young people than the amenity green space. The findings further indicated that the relationship between the demographic characteristics of the respondents and walking at the KNUST Botanical Garden and the Royal Parade Ground was not statistically significant. However, at the linear green space, some demographic characteristics of respondents such as marital status and age and the use of the green space for walking had a statistically significant relationship. The study found that there was no statistically significant relationship between the demographic characters of green space users and the use of the three selected categories of green space for relaxation. The further statistical test showed that there was no statistically significant relationship between the demographic characters of green space users and the use of green space for conversation at the KNUST Botanical Garden and the linear green space selected for this study. However, the statistical test indicated that the employment status of the respondents had a statistically significant relationship with the use of the Royal Parade Ground for conversations. The study concludes that all green spaces are not the same; therefore, the demographic characteristics of green space users that influence the use of different categories of green space for specific activities are dynamic. The researchers recommend that greenspace administrators and city authorities should avoid making generic greenspace policies that aim to improve the performance of specific activities in green spaces. Green space administrators and city authorities must meticulously collect data on the demographic characteristics of respondents and conduct statistical analyses which will empower them to make context-specific policies for the various categories of green spaces which exist in cities.