MANAGEMENT LAPSES AND USER CHALLENGES OF RECREATIONAL SPACES: WAY FORWARD FOR SUSTAINABLE URBANISM IN DOUALA

Authors: Ndula Ottance Yahbune, Pamboudam Charlotte & Lawrence F. Fombe

ABSTRACT

Urban recreational spaces remain crucial in enhancing the quality of urban life by offering a wide range of ecological, sociocultural, psychological and economic benefits. Rapid urbanisation of the Douala metropolis has exerted unprecedented pressure on urban land, causing a significant reduction in the quantity and quality of recreational green spaces, especially in the neighbourhood of Bonaberi. The paper examines the management and use challenges of these spaces in all V municipalities. Based on a mixed method approach involving field observation, satellite imagery analysis and stakeholder interviews, findings reveal that recreational spaces in the urbanized area of Douala are severely compromised, with 56.1976 hectares of municipal recreational spaces, making up approximately 0.2676% of the 210km2 urban surface. This falls severely short of international urban planning guidelines which suggest that at least, 10 to 15% of a city’s total geographic area should be dedicated to public green spaces, revealing intense spatial competition with rapid economic growth associated with adverse health conditions. Inadequate implementation of Urban Master and Land Use Plans, discontinuation of administrative functions, poor governance, and poor collaboration between the main stakeholders represent the most severe challenges deterring efficient management of such spaces in Douala. This study concludes that sustainable urban planning requires a shift from passive, top planning to an active, integrated approach that promotes environmental quality and community engagement in the management of these vital assets of Douala. Among other recommendations, it rests on the municipality to promote decentralised co-management strategies and strict reinforcement of penalties against defaulters aimed at fostering a more inclusive, climate resilient and sustainable metropolis, in tandem with SDGs 11.

Keywords: Urban recreational spaces, sustainability, sustainable development, management, users’ challenges

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