A Framework for Enhancing Social Interaction by Improving Access to Recreational Parks in Residential Neighborhoods: A Case Study of the Dammam Metropolitan Area, Saudi Arabia

Several literature studies have emphasized that public open spaces such as recreational parks in the residential neighborhoods play a crucial role in enhancing the social interaction among neighborhood residents. Hence, access to recreational parks is one of the prominent issues that may influence the use of the park and subsequently will influence the quality of social interaction. The traditional literature on park accessibility that depend only on physical distance have significant limitations, since proximity alone fails to forecast park use. Consequently, physical accessibility must be augmented by assessments of perceived accessibility (Psychological Accessibility). The study designed to propose a framework for enhancing social interaction through improved access to recreational parks in the residential neighborhoods in the Saudi context. This study follows two main methods, firstly, the observational behavioural mapping that was conducted to extract the appropriate influencing factors depending on the behavior of the individuals in the selected case studies. Secondly, the end user questionnaire survey. The study reveals several factors that influence access to recreational parks, including periodic maintenance, proximity, physical attributes, climatic environment, and location. The questionnaire survey indicates that most people visit parks for exercising, family outings, and nature relaxation. Therefore, more focus should be placed on amenities related to these factors, as individuals' perceptions significantly affect their psychological accessibility to recreational parks. Finally, this study concluded with some key findings and implications to achieve the objectives of the research study