Urban open green area as an element that improves the quality of life: The Case of Gölbaşı district city park

Industrialization and technological advancements have contributed to the optimization of work processes, leading to the regulation of working hours and the emergence of more leisure time. Particularly from the first quarter of the 20th century, the increase in leisure time has significantly contributed to the growing importance of natural values and the rise in public awareness. Recreational parks and gardens have been developed to create public spaces accessible to the public. In urbanized societies, the significance of city parks has increased, becoming public spaces that enhance urban life quality, strengthen urban structure, and offer various benefits to cities. Recent studies have begun to focus on parks as public spaces that positively impact the quality of life for urban residents. These studies aim to enhance the quality of urban life, improve societal well-being, and support environmental sustainability by emphasizing the critical role of parks in urban areas and examining their various dimensions. Urban parks, which play a critical role in restoring the disrupted balance between humans and nature and improving the conditions of city life, are communal areas accessible to all segments of society, providing spaces for diverse purposes, and determining the quality of the socio-economic and physical environment within cities. This research aims to investigate the effects of the Gölbaşı City Park, an urban green space in the Gölbaşı district, on the quality of life. In line with this objective, the study explores the impact of urban parks on spatial dynamics, social interaction, human health, environmental sustainability, park usage density, expectations of different user profiles, user opinions, satisfaction levels, urban residents' motivations for park usage, and the effects on spatial development. This study will make a significant contribution to similar research by supporting the relationship between urban life quality and green spaces at the spatial level.