**Abstract**

Many governments are actively seeking solutions to address the economic crises bedeviling their countries. University/college towns have proven to be successful models of opportunities for attracting investments for economic development while at the same time promoting optimal health outcomes. Harvard, MIT and Newcastle universities provide examples of successful models of universities aiding in spatial design and planning of towns or neighborhoods where they are located to yield sustainable development. The Government of Jamaica has supported the proposal from the University of Technology, Jamaica, (UTech, Jamaica Ja.) to redesign the Papine area in St. Andrew into a university town, given its proximity to the two largest universities in Jamaica, UTech, Ja. and the University of the West Indies (UWI). Both institutions collaborated by using cutting-edge scholarly research and design approaches to propose workable solutions that can promote economic development and healthy lifestyle in an area designated as a university town. The research found that SOPARC was a feasible and reliable instrument for assessing park user variables and associated contextual variables. However, for the proposed design to be executed and maintained, the study recommends establishing a body such as a University District/Town Council with oversight responsibility for planning and land use management of the area.

**Keywords:** urban planning, open public spaces, university town, healthy lifestyles, land use management, participation, redesign

#### **1. Introduction**

The emerging Development Order for the City of Kingston, Jamaica, which governs the land use planning for the City, denotes the study area as the "Papine University District Local Planning Area." This designation is informed by *Jamaica Settlement Strategy: A Review of Experiences and Potentials* [1], which denotes a town as having basic infrastructure, such as; a post office, electricity, telephone, piped water and paved roads.

Notwithstanding the official designation, the popular name used by residents and other stakeholders from the area is the *Papine University Town*. The Papine University Town contains 11 communities extending from the Blue Mountain Range in the north to the Liguanea Plains. See location map in **Figure 1**. Two of Jamaica's

**Figure 1.** *Location map showing the communities comprising Papine university town.*

major institutions of higher learning—the University of Technology, Jamaica and the University of the West Indies, along with other vocational and training institutes are located in the study area. The area also boasts the University Hospital of the West Indies, as well as several other tertiary institutions.

The local planning area is also home to the Royal Botanical Gardens of Hope (Hope Gardens), which today, is the largest public green space in the Kingston Metropolitan Region and home to Jamaica's most popular collection of endemic and exotic botanical collections.

The Papine local planning area is located on the Liguanea Plains within the geological formation of Liguanea and White Limestone. As a result of the rapid and unplanned urbanization and the fact that the land is susceptible to soil erosion and landslides, the area is unable to sustain large scale agricultural activities.

The 2011 current census from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), place the population count for Papine University Town at 23,018 persons. Currently, the area is zoned at 50 habitable rooms per acre. However, with the expanded sewage system, the zoning is proposed at 100 habitable rooms per acre, particularly along the major thoroughfares. Housing developments in the study area consists primarily of single family residential detached type units. Within the past 10 years, there has been an increasing demand for housing for enrolled college students, recent graduates, and young professionals. In 2014, the total student population of the two major institutions was estimated at 25,000. The developers responded to the demand for student housing by constructing apartment and townhouse complexes in the area and on the university campuses. Since it is likely that this trend will continue, there will be the need for additional green open spaces for recreation, basic social interaction, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.

**351**

*Jamaican Universities Aiding the Design of an Urban Public Space*

In addition to the Royal Hope Botanical Gardens, there are several parks, recreational areas and public open spaces, in varying states of repair, serving the surrounding neighborhoods. The Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Council is directly responsibility of these open public spaces. The Papine Park is one of the public open spaces serving the communities in the local planning area of the Papine University Town. This public space is also referred to as Papine Square.

*Satellite image photograph of the areas immediately adjacent to the tertiary institutions (Google map 2012).*

pedestrian access from all sides of the park is the norm. It is usually used for recreational purposes, and for group gatherings such as political rallies and cultural concerts or religious meetings. Many people traverse the Park to access the public and private transportation on the roadways that immediately border and/or are

History is replete with examples of symbiotic relationship between towns and centers of higher learning. In the past decade, for example, rapid development of university towns has been observed in Mainland China. It is estimated that about 50 university towns have been built in different cities throughout China, primarily to

Based on an assessment of university towns across the globe, the Hong Kong Planning Department [2] placed the development of these university/college towns into two broad categories—those that evolved organically and those promoted by

with no perimeter fencing, and uncontrolled

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89448*

It occupies approximately 4575 m<sup>2</sup>

address the issues of economic growth.

**2. University town concept and characteristics**

within 0.5 km (**Figure 2**).

**Figure 2.**

*Jamaican Universities Aiding the Design of an Urban Public Space DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89448*

*Sustainability in Urban Planning and Design*

major institutions of higher learning—the University of Technology, Jamaica and the University of the West Indies, along with other vocational and training institutes are located in the study area. The area also boasts the University Hospital of

The local planning area is also home to the Royal Botanical Gardens of Hope (Hope Gardens), which today, is the largest public green space in the Kingston Metropolitan Region and home to Jamaica's most popular collection of endemic and

The Papine local planning area is located on the Liguanea Plains within the geological formation of Liguanea and White Limestone. As a result of the rapid and unplanned urbanization and the fact that the land is susceptible to soil erosion and

The 2011 current census from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), place the population count for Papine University Town at 23,018 persons. Currently, the area is zoned at 50 habitable rooms per acre. However, with the expanded sewage system, the zoning is proposed at 100 habitable rooms per acre, particularly along the major thoroughfares. Housing developments in the study area consists primarily of single family residential detached type units. Within the past 10 years, there has been an increasing demand for housing for enrolled college students, recent graduates, and young professionals. In 2014, the total student population of the two major institutions was estimated at 25,000. The developers responded to the demand for student housing by constructing apartment and townhouse complexes in the area and on the university campuses. Since it is likely that this trend will continue, there will be the need for additional green open spaces for recreation, basic social interac-

landslides, the area is unable to sustain large scale agricultural activities.

the West Indies, as well as several other tertiary institutions.

*Location map showing the communities comprising Papine university town.*

exotic botanical collections.

**Figure 1.**

tion, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.

**350**

**Figure 2.** *Satellite image photograph of the areas immediately adjacent to the tertiary institutions (Google map 2012).*

In addition to the Royal Hope Botanical Gardens, there are several parks, recreational areas and public open spaces, in varying states of repair, serving the surrounding neighborhoods. The Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Council is directly responsibility of these open public spaces. The Papine Park is one of the public open spaces serving the communities in the local planning area of the Papine University Town. This public space is also referred to as Papine Square. It occupies approximately 4575 m<sup>2</sup> with no perimeter fencing, and uncontrolled pedestrian access from all sides of the park is the norm. It is usually used for recreational purposes, and for group gatherings such as political rallies and cultural concerts or religious meetings. Many people traverse the Park to access the public and private transportation on the roadways that immediately border and/or are within 0.5 km (**Figure 2**).
