Abstract:
Development should be based on a balanced and harmonious relationship between social
needs, economic activities and the environmental services to achieve sustainability of a city.
Accordingly, aspects such as the “amount of urban green spaces per inhabitant, “public
parks,” are considered to be of significant strategic importance and it making a city livable,
pleasant, and attractive for citizens. This too gives a salutary effect on the growth of the City.
Urban green parks serve as places of identity, memory, and belonging, enrich human life with
meaning and emotions which is a key component of sustainability. Urban parks play a
strategic meaning for the quality of life of our increasingly urbanized society. Jaffna city is a
fast growing centre in north part of the country. But attention to the natural components and
the green spaces of the urban structure is still poor. Therefore this paper aims to study the
importance of urban parks for the sustainability of the city. Both secondary and primary data
have been gathered. Primary data have been collected through a survey conducted among
visitors of the parks. Questionnaires have been distributed in different hours of the day. Basic
descriptive statistics and Multi criteria analysis have been applied in spatially. As a result,
the majority (almost 78%) of the respondents indicated dissatisfaction with the services and
amount of urban green currently present in the Jaffna. Valuation of these green spaces of
urban areas should be integrated into project assessments' procedure and be properly
accounted for in policy decisions and urban planning strategies. This study helps to City
planners, urban designers and decision makers.
