雅思大作文：it is important to build more public parks or sports facilities

　　雅思大作文题目：When new towns are planned, it is important to build more public parks or sports facilities than shopping centers for people to spend their free time. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

　　Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

　　作文范文：

　　While the price of real estate is rocketing in metropolitan cities in recent decades, the living space for city dwellers is drastically squeezed. This situation does not only mean the square meter of their home, but also refer to the outdoor public space and commercial buildings they are allowed to utilize.

　　City residents need space to do outdoor activities. They need to walk their dogs, do exercises, or play with their little children. Equipped with some sports facilities, these places can serve a role of encouraging physical activities and healthy lifestyles. Public open space also facilitates local residents to meet their neighbors and feel to be included in a community. This sense of belonging can be vital for the establishment of a healthy and safe cohesive community. Open areas are the most significant for children. Especially for those children with no siblings, the public ground around their home is the place where they regularly socialize with their peers in their neighborhood.

　　Of course, plazas, gardens and parks occupy land, posing a real challenge for metropolis planners, who have to balance between the growing demand for residence as well as commercial buildings and recreational infrastructures. Furthermore, the size of such facilities should also be under scrutiny. A large civic central square does not actually serve a better function for local residents than a smaller one around home because the distance travelled between would be long, and this inconvenience can discourage people from regular participation. Imagine the Tiananmen Square, not in Beijing but in a town with small population in a regional area. Would it serve its best to local people?

　　Therefore, here is my conclusion that citizens deserve large commercial shopping centres for recreational purposes. In the meantime, small sporting facilities ought to be established outside each residential quarter.