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A GIS BASED MULTI-CRITERIA ANALYSIS FOR SITING RECREATIONAL PARKS

IN YOLA-NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Article · April 2016

DOI: 10.6088/ijaser.05003

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International Journal of Applied Science and Engineering Research, ISSN 2277-9442
Vol. 5, Issue 1, 2016, 20 – 29

A GIS BASED MULTI-CRITERIA ANALYSIS FOR SITING

RECREATIONAL PARKS IN YOLA-NORTH LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
A.A. Sahabo1 and A.B. Mohammed2
1&2Department of Urban and Regional Planning,
Modibbo Adama University of Technology Yola, Adamawa State Nigeria
E-mails: 1sahaboahmed005@gmail.com, 2mbabdul76@gmail.com

Abstract: Recreation and leisure is vital in human life. Suitability analysis is essential in
planning for developmental projects especially within a built up area; hence identification of
potential sites for such projects is critical in urban development. This study demonstrates the
application of geographic information system (GIS) based multi-criteria analysis to identify
potential sites for recreational parks in Yola-North local government, Nigeria. Five datasets
were used for the purpose of this study; Street data, elevation data (digital elevation model),
land use/cover, population and open spaces data, generated from Yola geodatabase using
ArcGIS 10.2. A suitability model was developed to identify suitable sites considering three
criteria; these are slope of not less than 60%, population density and availability of parcels.
Suitable sites were determined by overlay operations using the weighted overlay tools. This
study concluded that with suitability analysis using spatial analyst extension, potential sites for
recreational parks can be identified.
Keywords: Recreation, Potential sites, GIS, Suitability Analysis.

1.0 Introduction
Open spaces often referred to as green spaces or green belts are required within a built
environment, for the purpose of recreation. Although recreational parksprovideservices to the
society and conservation of natural values, less consideration is given to protect such areas
(Thompson, 2002). A built environment changes the landscape and interferes with the
ecological system as put in by Marauni and Amit-Cohen (2007), hence the need to provide and
sustains recreational parksfor relaxation to cater for both children and adult. Studies have
shown that less attention is paid to the sustainability of recreational parksin most developing
countries (Chiesura, 2003). Parks and green spaces also provides a healthy urban environment
by regulatory the increasing temperature especially at this era of global warming.In most
developing countries, existing parks and green spaces were encroached and converted into built
environments, as a result of increasing unrestrained human activities (Adeel, 2010). However,
land suitability analysis forrecreational use is vital in planning as it gives room for choosing
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the most suitable site from among various alternatives. Land suitability analysis otherwise
known as environmental suitability analysis helps in delineating suitable locations for various
types of developments. This would be based on the activity proposed and the environmental
implications of siting such development within certain areas, as well as the environmental
characteristics of the area (Chapin and Kaiser, 1979). Suitability analysis helps to determine
suitable locations or sites that met certain criteria and thus save a lot of time and energy required
to acquire and process data manually (Kumar and Shaikh, 2012). Apart from physical, other
factors such as economic are also given consideration alongside the physical factors when
conducting suitability analysis and the cumulative of these factors determines the outcome of
the analysis (Kumar and Biswas, 2013). This study aimed at identifying potential sites for
recreational parks in Jimeta-Yola, Nigeria, with a view to achieve optimal functionality.
2.0 Study Area
Yola is the administrative headquarters of Adamawa State in North-Eastern Nigeria. Adamawa
State lies between latitudes 7o 00’N – 11o 00’N and longitude 11o’ 00’E – 14o 00’ E, while the
study area approximately lies between latitude 09o 13’N and 9o 20’ N and longitude 12o 20’ E
and 12o 30’ E. Figure 1 is the map of Nigeria showing Adamawa state and figure 2 shows the
11 administrative wards in Jimeta.

Fig. 1: Map of Nigeria Showing Adamawa State

The state is situated in the North Eastern part of Nigeria and it is bounded by one of the largest
Rivers in the Country, River Benue serving as a boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon
Republic. Like any other Nigerian city, Jimeta comprises of so many land use types ranging
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from institutional, commercial, and residential. Jimeta is clearly stratified in terms of

population densities. These are low, medium and high density areas. The low density areas are
well planned units where government officials reside while medium and high density areas are
made up of common people with little or unplanned buildings. Land uses in Jimeta can be
classified into six as study has shown, the results from aerial photograph indicated that six land
use/cover were identified thus; built-up land, bare surface, natural vegetation or forest, marshy
land, croplands and water bodies (Zemba, 2010).

Fig. 2: Map of Yola-North local government Showing 11 Wards

(Source: Yola Geodatabase)
3.0 Methodology
Spatial approach was the method used in collecting data for this study. Preparation of data for
analysis and the analysis in this research was done using ArcGIS 10.2.1, particularly the spatial
analyst. Suitability model was developed to determine suitable location for recreational
parkswithin Yola-North local government.The type of data used in this study is the secondary
data. Five datasets were used for the purpose of this study; Street data, elevation data (digital
elevation model), land use/cover, population and open spaces data. The four spatial data; Street
data, elevation data, land use/cover, and open spaces data were extracted from Jimeta
geodatabase, and generated using ArcGIS 10.2.1.
4

The geodatabase is the common data storage and management framework for ArcGIS. It
combines "geo" (spatial data) with "database" (data repository) to create a central data
repository or spatial data storage and management. The Yola geodatabase was built using
ArcCatalog and ArcMap of ArcGIS. The four spatial dataset are given below; the population
data as well as the spatial distribution of population were also presented below.

Figure 3: Street Map of Yola-North local government (Source: Yola Geodatabase)

5

Figure 4: Map of Yola-North local government Showing Available Land uses and Open
Spaces (Source: Yola Geodatabase)

Figure 5: Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of Yola-North local government

(Source: SRTM website)
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Figure 6: Map of Yola-North local government showing available Open Spaces.

(Source: Yola Geodatabase)

Table 1: Current Population Data for Yola-North local government

Source: National Population Commission (NPC), Nigeria.

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Figure 7: Map of Yola-North local government Showing Spatial Distribution of Population

within the Wards (Source: Yola Geodatabase)

4.0 Data Preparation for Analysis

In the preparation of data for analysis, all the spatial datasets were prepared in a way that the
data can be analysed and displayed using the GIS software. First of all, the street map and land
use map were generated from Yola geodatabase. Map of Yola-North local government showing
open spaces was converted from vector to raster form so it can be an input layer in the analysis,
figure 8 is the rasterized open spaces layer. Digital elevation model (DEM) was also reclassified
to a more suitable range of classes and generated. A model builder was used to develop the
suitability model for analysis. In the model builder, there are tools that were used to derive the
datasets to a format acceptable in the modelling operations. Line density tool was used to derive
road density which depicts the concentration of people in the study area and the output is a road
density layer. The block statistics tool was used to derive the layer of map showing available
open spaces in the study area. The road density, DEM and open spaces layers were then
reclassified using the reclass tool, at this stage all the datasets were reclassified to a uniform
scale so the overlay operations provides suitable locations based on the ranking in the
reclassification. The spatial analysis method is presented in figure
9below;
8

Figure 8: Rasterized Open Spaces Map (Source: Yola Geodatabase)

Figure 9: Spatial Analysis Method

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5.0 GIS Based Suitability Analysis

Analysis in this research was done using the spatial analyst. Suitability model was developed
to determine suitable location for recreational parks. The variables considered in the model
builder are slope, population density and availability of open spaces. Datasets that participated
in the model builder were; road network, DEM and open spaces layers. Road network
especially the minor roads depicts population density, therefore minor road density portrays
how dense is the population in the area in question. DEM provides the slope which is very
important in suitability analysis, and open spaces data provides the available spaces in the study
area which is also important in determining suitable locations for recreational parks. The
flowchart of the spatial analysis method is shown in the figure 9;

From figure 9 above, it can be observed that the three layers; DEM, rasterized open spaces and
road layers were arranged at the top of the flowchart. The open spaces layer was converted
from vector to raster, so it can be derived and input into the model. Block statistics tool was
used to derive the layer which was already in raster format as shown in the flowchart. Slope
layer was derived from DEM using the slope tool; the road layer map was also derived as well,
using the line density tool so it can also be an input layer into the model builder.
The second stage of the operation is reclassification, the derived datasets must be reclassified
so they can be overlaid using the overlay tools. These datasets were reclassified using the
“reclass” tool in the model builder. After reclassification, the outputs were reclassed slope
layer, reclassed open spaces layer and the reclassed road density layer. The reclassified layers
were considered in running the model. The reclassified datasets were at this stage connected
to the weighted overlay tool in the model builder.

After successful running of the model, suitable location for recreational parks were determined
based on the criteria set for the model; these are slope not less than 60%, available open spaces
and densely populated areas. The last stage was the overlay operations. The reclassified layers
were then overlaid using the weighted overlay tool and hence suitable locations for recreational
parks were determined based on the criteria set for the datasets.
Figure 10 is the workflow of the model.
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Figure 10: Workflow of the Suitability Model

6.0 Results and Discussion
Having the derived datasets reclassified, the datasets were overlaid using the weighted overlay
tool so as to find the suitable location for recreational parks. The value of the reclassified dataset
representing open spaces is 1, and the values representing road density have been reclassified
to a scale of 1 to 9 (Here more suitable cells have higher values). However, in the slope layer,the
suitable location was set to be greater or equal to 60%. Here, the priority here is locating sites
that are suitable for active recreation with minimum formwork, alongside the other two criteria;
densely populated area and available parcel.

To determine suitable location for recreational parks, the weighted overlay tool was used. This
is because in a multi criteria overlay analysis, the weighted overlay tool can solve multi-criteria
problems such as site selection and suitability models. The tool also allows the analysis of the
possibility of a phenomenon fitting into multiple datasets and analyses the relationship between
the individual datasets. Figure 11 shows the output of the model. The output layer have four
classes with 1in light blue indicating least suitable and 4 in red most suitable, while 2 and 3
represented in dark and light green respectively indicates moderate suitability based on the set
criteria.

The findings of this research determine suitable locations for recreational parks to ensure
optimal functionality of the facilities within the study area. This is required for the general
wellbeing of the all human beings, as asserted by Lawan et al. (2011) that recreation and
relaxation plays a vital role in human lifestyle and should be sustainable, and therefore the
demand for recreation has increased over time. Urban dwellers are inspired by the provision of
recreational areas and facilities as they spend their relaxation time in the natural environment
and enjoy the benefit of nature (Gül and Gezer, 2004).
11

Figure 11: Suitable Locations for recreational parks in Yola-North local government

7.0 Conclusion
This research was aimed at identifying potential sites for recreational parks in Yola-North local
government, Nigeria, with a view to achieve optimal functionality. The research also explored
other researchers view on recreational planning and GIS application in suitability analysis for
location and distribution of facilities. A suitability model was developed in order to determine
suitable locations for the recreational parks, spatial analyst tools were used in the model builder
such as line density, block statistics, reclass and weighted overlay. Having the data analysed,
suitable locations for recreational parks were found based on slope, space availability and
population density as criteria. This study has been able to show that for recreational parks to
be functional, the centres should be suitably positioned.
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