Introduction: Urban parks serve numerous social and ecological functions, providing citizens with a convenient escape from urban life and an opportunity to reconnect with nature. Therefore, the management of urban parks should prioritize enhancing their utility through the incorporation of natural elements. The main objective of this research was to gain knowledge and to know the aesthetic preferences and willingness to pay of the Isfahan residents in using urban park.
Materials and Methods: In this study, 6 parks including Soffeh, Najwan, Ghadir, Hasht-Behesht, Laleh and Qalamestan were selected and the opinions of 150 visitors were analyzed and evaluated by convenience sampling method from different ranges of citizens. After designing and collecting the data of the researcher-made questionnaire and ensuring its validity and reliability, the descriptive statistics of the data were used for a better interpretation of the results. Information about access to the park was classified in the categories of travel time, time of visit per week, vehicle used to reach the park, and accompanying persons. A 5-point Likert scale was used to collect answers in each field. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was also used to check the differences between the opinions of different groups. In this study, a desirability index was designed to measure people's willingness to attend and use the park.
Results: The most frequent age group visiting the parks was 18 to 25 years old, comprising 24.28% of the visitors. Among the selected parks, Soffeh Park had the longest average travel time of 40.13 minutes, followed by Hashtbehesht Park with 38.73 minutes. The study also demonstrates that the choice of transportation means is influenced by the park's type and location. Soffeh Park and Hashtbehesht Park were predominantly accessed by public transportation, accounting for over 40% and 38% of visitors, respectively. Regarding the connection with nature, Soffeh and Najvan Parks exhibited a significant difference (p-value ≤ 0.05) compared to other parks. Overall, the results indicate that Najvan and Soffeh parks are commonly chosen for recreational purposes rather than their proximity to visitors' residences. On the other hand, parks with public designs are frequently utilized by local residents but less often by tourists or specific interest groups. Notably, visitors displayed a greater willingness to contribute financially to the preservation of Soffeh and Najvan parks, likely influenced by the natural ambiance these parks offer.
Discussion: Based on the study's findings, it is recommended to enhance the naturalness of parks, expand their size, and consider designing parks tailored for specific purposes rather than general public use. Such measures are more likely to gain acceptance among citizens, leading to increased willingness to contribute financially and heightened desirability of the parks. It is suggested to classify the design elements of the parks and the quality of their presence and arrangement inside the park should also be considered as one of the important criteria of desirability. Considerations such as the per capita of each park, their size, and location are also one of the most important factors that affect the quality and desirability of the park.