Many major cities are facing a housing crisis as they cannot provide enough land for new buildings. Some local governments believe the problem could be solved by reassigning park land for residential development, because this land would be better used for housing. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Urban migration is causing extreme pressure on housing and infrastructure and,

consequently

, some people feel that public

parks

have become a luxury that we can no longer afford.

While

it is true that green areas can take up a lot of space, the

benefits

to the residents of a

city

and to the environment are too numerous to ignore. It is undeniable that

parks

provide valuable leisure amenities – a place to picnic, walk, kick a ball, play with the children, or just relax.

Besides

this

, recent research has shown that they

also

provide appreciable health

benefits

by allowing people to engage with nature, which enhances their mental well-being and lowers their stress levels. Consider

also

that, with the rising epidemic of obesity, it is more important than ever to make space available for physical exercise. The bonus of exercising in a natural setting, rather than going to a gym or jogging on urban streets, is that not only does the body benefit from the physical activity but anxiety and depression are alleviated as well. It is reported that the

overall

effect of “green exercise” is better fitness, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels and greater tranquillity.

Moreover

, for lower socio-economic groups,

parks

are an affordable way to improve health and participate in social interaction.

City

planners should

also

consider environmental

benefits

before deciding to sacrifice parkland for construction. Trees improve air quality by removing pollutants and filtering the air.

Furthermore

, if

parks

are located alongside urban waterways, they help keep the water clean by absorbing contaminated runoff from the

city

’s hard surfaces. In conclusion,

although

I appreciate the problem, I wholeheartedly disagree with the view that

parks

should be used to mitigate housing shortages in cities. They offer significant health and recreation

benefits

to the people and improve the

overall

climate and environment of the

city

. If space is truly at a premium,

city

officials would do better to look at reducing the urban sprawl of shopping malls and parking lots.