The document discusses guidelines for parks, recreational spaces, and children's play areas in Peshawar, Pakistan. It outlines several key considerations for planning and providing parks, including ensuring accessibility, quality, diversity, and environmental sustainability. Specific guidelines are provided for children's play areas, such as providing a safe play environment, a variety of fitness and play options, and natural elements. The document emphasizes that parks and recreational spaces must be properly planned, funded, developed, managed, and accessible to all segments of the population.

1. CHAPTER - 3
PARKS AND RECREATIONAL SPACES 28
3.1 Introduction
Openspace isdefinedaspubliclandthathas a leisure,sport,landscapevalue,habitatconservation,
environmental orvisual amenityfunctionand/or is zonedor reservedforpublicparksorconservation
purposes.Openspace isnotonlyforrecreationandconservationof environmentalandcultural values,itis
alsothe foundationof urbanlivability.
Unprecedentedpopulationgrowthandchangingdemographicsare increasingthe demandforpublicopen
spacesto supportdiverse recreational activities.ConcurrentlyPeshawar’surbanlandscape israpidly
changingto keeppace withgrowth.The successof openspacesprovisionisstronglyinfluencedbysound
strategicplanning,goodurbanplanninganddesignelementsandagoodunderstandingof recreationand
participationtrends.Increasingdensities,populationgrowth,climate change andresource depletionis
placingfurtherpressure onthe provisionof qualityopenspaces.
The city of Peshawarhas parksand recreational spacesinvarioussectionsof the city.Inthe Municipal area
on the easternside of the city,there are thirteenmajorandminorparks,however,the conditionof these
parks needtobe upliftedandmaintained.The majorparksinclude Shahi Bagh,JinnahBaghandWazirBagh;
these parksare in reasonable condition,yetalotmore can be done to improve the conditionof these areas.
The other minorparksare recreational areasare notmaintainedproperlyandthe facilitiesare non-existent
inmost cases.In the cantonmentareathere are major recreational spacesincludingthe ArmyStadium,
QayyumStadiumandthe Garrison Park beside minorparksinvariouslocalities.These recreational spaces
and parksare well maintainedandare constantlyupgraded.Inthe westernsectionof the citythe notable
parks are onlyin Hayatabad,the otherareas eitherhave minororno recreational facilities.
3.2 Planningconsiderations
Parksand recreational spacesmustbe plannedandprovidedasalanduse in itsownright.Theyshouldbe
plannedinthe correctlocation,andin theirownright – notas “leftovers”.Theyshouldbe easyof access,
functional andutilitarianandnotmerelyareasincludedtofill upspaces.However,ithastobe acceptedthat
conditionsare notideal inPeshawaranditmay not alwaysbe possible,particularlyinthe oldbuilt-upareas,
to achieve eventhe requiredminimumstandards.Inplanningthe locationof openspaces,the visibilityof
the openspacesfromroads and accessibilityrequirementsof all segmentsof the populationshould be taken
intoaccount, includingthe disabled.Some of the planningconsiderationsforcitybeautificationare as
follows:
• understandthe needforparksandrecreational spaces
• identifythe placementandaccessto openspaces;
• define andidentify appropriateadditional openspaceswhere possible;
• suggestmeasuresforthe maintenanceof existingopenspaces.
• ensure anorderedsequencewhile proposingthe openspaces,keepinginmind:

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• Accessibilityfordisabled/handicappedpersonstoparks
• Cityparksand recreational spaces,
• Townshipparksandrecreational spacesand
• Local parks and recreational spaces.
• Sustainable maintenance planforpublicparks
Changingdemographics,economics,landuse,environmentandculture will require approachesinthe
planning,design,funding,development,managementanduse of openspaces.Therefore there isaneedto
developnewrecreationalspacesandmaintainthe existingspaces.These facilitiesshouldbe accessibleto
handicappedpersonsalso.
3.3 Guidelinesforthe ProvisionofRecreational Spaces
Openspacesare meantto provide arelief frombuiltupenvirons.Unregulatedandillegalemphasison
residentialandcommercial developmentjeopardizesthe provisionandqualityof openspaces andtheir
requirements.A large andvariedopenspace networkwillresultinhigherrecreationuse andparticipationin
recreational activities.Openspacesshouldcatertoa wide cross-sectionof the community,andencourage
use throughinclusive groups. The majorguide linesforplanningandprovisionof openspacescouldbe as
follows:
• Adequacy:Sufficientopenspace andparksshouldbe identifiedandsetaside tomeetthe demandforthe
mostpopularactivitieswithineachplanningarea.
• Location: locate parksand openspaceskeepinginview itslocal,townshiporcitylevel use;
• Quality:theyshouldbe of a highqualityintermsof facilities,layoutanddesign,andmeetthe needsand
aspirationsof the users.Theyshouldalsomeetenvironmental standards,andcontribute togoodcivic
design.
• IntegratedFramework: openspace and parksshouldbe providedwithinanintegratedrecreationand
openspace placement,ensuringeasyaccess.
• Accessibility:Ensure everyone hassafe andconvenientaccesstoparksand openspaces;
• Diversity:It isimportantto planfor andmaintaina spectrumof diverse recreationopportunities.Providing
a diversityof openspaceswill serve toensure abroadrange of functionsandlandscape settingsforadiverse
population;
• Aestheticquality:Ensure the improvementof the aestheticqualityof the physical environmentandcreate
a strongersense of place and identity.

3. • Networkof trails: Developnetworkof trailsandinterconnectedparks/openspace corridorstoencourage
a healthylifestylethroughcycling,walking,runningandothertrail-basedactivities.
• Buildingcontrol: Protectparksand openspacesthrougheffectiveplanningandbuildingcontrol;
• Needsforthe disabled:Provisionof the facilitiestocaterfor the special needsof the mostvulnerable
sectionof the communityincludingthe disabledandelderlypeople;
• Environmental sustainability:Ensure Environmental sustainabilitythroughappropriatelandscaping,use of
indigenousspeciesandsustainable planting;
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• Enhance Funding Opportunities:Increase revenue generatingcapabilities;
• Compliance ofADA codes of Accessibility: Ensure thatthe park isaccessible toall genders,agesand
handicappedpersons
• Effective management:Ensure effective managementandmaintenance of the parksandopenspaces;
• Designof Low Impact IrrigationSystems: Reductionof irrigationtothe minimum, forestablishment
periodsandhighuse turf areas. Prioritizingthe use of systemsthatreuse stormwaterandgreywater.
• Increase in quantity,densityand diversityofplantation: Increase inthe quantity,density,diversity,and
distributionof canopy,understory,shrubandherbaceouslayersinplantingareas.Thismaynotnecessarily
meanexpandingthe plantpalette,butratherplantingtocreate a greaterdiversityof landscapetypes;
expandingthe paletteof landscape typesbeyondlawnsandtreeshasenormousenvironmental benefitsand
significantlyreducedlongtermcosts.Treesandplantsclusteredingroupsare betterprotectedand
healthier. Diversityof tree speciesprotectsagainstspreadof diseaseandpeststhatcan devastate
monoculture plantings.
• Engaging PublicParticipation:Engagementof publicparticipationandawarenessearlyonandthroughout
the processof parkdesignpromotes awarenessaboutsustainable designconsiderations.Itincorporates
valuable local knowledge thatcaninspire designinnovationandpromotescommunityownershipof the
park.
• Mitigationand adaption to climate change: Anticipationof changesatpark sites andsurroundingareas
that may resultfromclimate change.Determinationof strategiestomitigate andadaptto the affectsof
climate change while promotingthe longtermresilience of parksandlandscapes.
• IntegratingMaintenance Planninginto the DesignProcess:Integrationof maintenance considerations
intothe planninganddesignprocessasdecisionmakingratherthanafterthe completionof the proposed
designwill produce designsthatare more resilient,attractive,andcosteffective overtime.

4. 3.4 Children’splayareas
These shouldofferafull range of social,physical,andeducational opportunitiesforchildren,while also
providingcomfortableenvironmentsfortheirfamiliesandcaretakers.Playgroundscanbe the primarypublic
environmentforfamiliesandtheyprovideanopportunityforchildrenandadultstoformsocial bonds31
3.5 Guide linesforChildrenplay areas
• Provide asafe playenvironment
• Provide awide varietyof fitness,funandplayoptions
• Provide durable,easytorepairandvarietyof playequipments
• Provide opportunitiesforfree play
• Provide signage thatguidesparents/caretakersaboutthingstoshow or teachtheirchildrenusingthe
equipmentorotherelementsof the playground
• Provide natural playopportunitiesandnatural elementsforseating
• Planforuse duringdifferenttimesandseasons
• Site benchesandwaterplayareasto benefitfromsunnyandshadyareas.
• Planforease of supervision;limitthe numberof exitssothattheyare easilymonitoredbyparentsand
guardians
• The designof these facilitiesshouldbe baseduponAnthropometricdataof children