Examination of the use possibilities of Erzurum city parks by physically disabled individuals

Urban parks are important areas that all segments of society utilize for social and physical activities. However, in order for these parks to be used effectively by everyone, they must comply with certain accessibility standards. These standards aim to increase the usage opportunities of disabled individuals by evaluating the accessibility of parks. Within the scope of the study, it was aimed to "Examine the Possibilities of Use of Erzurum 3 City Parks by Physically Disabled Individuals". Evaluation forms were created by considering TS 9111 and TS 12576 standards. With these forms, the entrances of the city parks, in-park road routes (pedestrian paths, sidewalks, ramps and stairs), landscape equipment elements (seating units, garbage bins, lighting units, boundary elements, direction and information signs and fountains) were evaluated according to TS 12576 and TS 9111 standards. Children's playgrounds, toilets, parking areas, tactile surfaces, bus stops and pedestrian crossings were evaluated by observation. Then, the findings were evaluated by distributing the percentages among themselves. As a result, it is important to increase the accessibility of urban parks for individuals with physical disabilities in order to create a more inclusive and equal urban environment. As a result of the evaluations, it was determined that there are some negativities for disabled individuals in all 3 city parks. Sadabat Family Tea Garden is the most suitable park with a rate of 55%, followed by Erzurum Kale Çevresi Kültür Yolu Park and Olimpiyat Millet Bahçesi. Improvements to be made will ensure that city parks are used more effectively and safely by all citizens.