Environmental Threat Assessment and the Role of Urban Planning in Sustainable Recreational Centre Management in Federal Capital City of Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Urban recreational centres constitute an important component of sustainable urban development by providing ecosystem services, leisure opportunities, social interaction, and environmental benefits. However, increasing urbanization and population growth have intensified environmental pressures on these facilities, particularly in rapidly expanding cities such as Abuja, Nigeria. This study assessed the environmental threats associated with the utilization of recreational centres and examined the role of urban planning in promoting sustainable recreational centre management in the Federal Capital City (FCC) of Abuja, Nigeria. A mixed-method research design was adopted, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. Primary data were collected through questionnaires administered to 462 recreational park users, semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) involving urban planners, environmental experts, park managers, and community representatives. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square analysis, and the Kruskal-Wallis H test were employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed widespread public awareness of environmental degradation across recreational parks, with major threats including soil erosion, air pollution, noise pollution, improper waste disposal, vegetation loss, water pollution, and disturbances to biodiversity. Visitors attributed these threats primarily to poor facility management, inadequate environmental education, negligence by authorities, and insufficient waste management infrastructure. The Kruskal-Wallis H test showed no statistically significant differences in environmental threat perceptions across Commercial/Amusement Parks, Large Formal Parks, and Neighborhood Parks (p > 0.05), indicating that environmental degradation is perceived as a city-wide challenge rather than a site-specific issue. Furthermore, demographic variables such as age, gender, education, income, and marital status were found to have no significant influence on awareness of sustainable environmental practices, suggesting that sustainability awareness is broadly distributed across the population. However, occupation showed a significant association with awareness levels in Commercial/Amusement Parks (χ² = 16.036; p = 0.042). The study concludes that while sustainability awareness among park users is relatively high, environmental degradation persists due to weak governance structures, inadequate policy implementation, poor maintenance culture, and limited stakeholder participation. The study recommends the adoption of an integrated city-wide recreational sustainability framework, strengthened institutional coordination among relevant agencies, enhanced environmental monitoring, and a shift from awareness-focused interventions to action-oriented policies that facilitate sustainable environmental behaviour. These measures are essential for ensuring the long-term sustainability of recreational centres and their contribution to urban environmental quality in Abuja.