A GIS-based assessment of pedestrian accessibility to urban parks in the city of Constanța, Romania

Green space accessibility is an important component of life quality, due to the many benefits it brings to human communities. This aspect is especially relevant in urban environments, which are characterized by a high density of residential and commercial buildings, as well as by higher levels of pollution (especially air and noise pollution) caused mainly by transportation or industrial activities. Thus, city inhabitants must have good access to green spaces, where they can enjoy peace, tranquility, clean air, vegetation and which if properly equipped, will allow them to carry out multiple recreational, sporting, social and cultural activities. This study reveals accessibility levels to urban parks in the city of Constanța, calculated in a GIS environment using the Balanced Floating Catchment Area (BFCA) approach on three distance thresholds: 400 m, 800 m and 1200 m. The results of this study reveal both low general values and important territorial differentiations regarding the accessibility of urban parks. The highest level of accessibility was observed for the 400 m threshold, while the lowest level was observed for the 1200 m threshold. These aspects can have important implications in the process of sustainable urban planning of a city that encouraged residential construction (19.1% increase from 1990 to 2021) at the expense of green spaces and the quality of life of its inhabitants.