Analysis of the Impact of Green Spaces and Waterways on Enhancing Quality of Life and Social Sustainability in Urban Environments

Today, safety in public spaces, particularly in urban parks, has become a critical issue. Urban environment quality, as a measure of living conditions in residential areas, significantly influences residents' satisfaction. Factors such as the level of social services, land-use distribution, social security, accessibility to public spaces, geographical location of facilities, environmental conditions, the performance of different urban sectors, activities in urban spaces, and attention to local identity and culture are among the elements affecting the quality of life. This study evaluates variables and indicators related to safety and quality of life in Alghadir Park in Gonbad-e Kavus city. This research is descriptive-analytical and practical in nature, with data collected through questionnaires distributed among 300 participants as the study sample. Data analysis was conducted using one-sample T-tests.
The results indicate that the average safety level in the studied park is 2.95, which is close to the moderate level. Various indicators such as physical accessibility, clear design, lighting, physical security, sense of safety, and environmental comfort have mean scores of 3.41, 3.07, 2.89, 2.85, 2.83, and 2.64, respectively (considering the normal mean of 3), falling in the moderate to below-average range. Based on the findings, recommendations are provided, including improving park lighting for nighttime use, protecting existing facilities, enhancing restroom conditions, and implementing measures to prevent entry by socially vulnerable individuals into the park.