Partisan Urban Governance Restricts Access To Public Space | Research And Policy Memo #2

Research and Policy Memo #2 | March 2011
Partisan Urban Governance Restricts Access to Public Space Fadi Shayya
As well as their many ecological, environmental, and cultural advantages, green urban public spaces are the inalienable right of every citizen.
Dating back 350 years, Beirut’s unique 330,000 m2 park is part of the historical Horsh Al-Sanawbar that once measured more than 1,250,000 m2 . Today the park is concealed from the lives of many Beiruti residents and visitors. Less than 20% is open to the public—with restrictions on practices—whilst over 80% is fenced off with barbed wire and can only be accessed by special permission from the Administrator of Beirut.