Spatial Analysis on Urban Justice Delivering the Community Parks: A Case of the Saudi Arabian City of Al-Khobar

Highlights: What are the main findings? GIS-based spatial analysis revealed significant inequities in the availability, accessibility, and distribution of community parks across Al-Khobar City, with over 20 neighborhoods lacking adequate green space. The integration of GIS spatial mapping and user satisfaction surveys provided a comprehensive understanding of spatial and experiential disparities in urban park provision. What are the implications of the main findings? Findings emphasize the need for evidence-based planning policies to enhance equitable access to parks and align local development with Saudi Vision 2030 and SDG 11 targets. The study proposes a replicable GIS survey framework for assessing urban green space equity that can guide smart and sustainable urban design strategies in other Saudi and Middle Eastern cities. This study evaluates the spatial equity of community parks in Al-Khobar City, Saudi Arabia, by examining their proximity, availability, distribution, accessibility, and user satisfaction. Ensuring equitable access to public open spaces is vital for promoting urban liveability and achieving the sustainability objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. A mixed-methods approach integrating Geographic Information System (GIS)-based spatial analysis with a structured user survey was applied. GIS was used to map park locations, calculate per capita green space, and assess accessibility within a 500 m walking radius, while survey data from 300 respondents captured user satisfaction and perceptions of community park dimensions and indicators. The results reveal pronounced spatial disparities across neighbourhoods, with more than twenty areas lacking any park access and several others falling below the 5 m² per capita standard. In contrast, centrally located neighbourhoods demonstrate adequate provision and higher satisfaction levels. These findings indicate a fragmented and inequitable park distribution that limits community well-being and social inclusion. The study concludes that integrating GIS-based evidence with community feedback can inform data-driven planning policies and promote equitable, accessible, and sustainable community parks. The proposed framework offers a replicable model for assessing urban green space equity in other Saudi and Middle Eastern cities.