CONVENTIONAL LEISURE AREAS IN BELÉM (PA), BETWEEN THE CENTER AND THE GHETTO

WHAT AND FOR WHOM LEISURE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

Abstract

In several societies around the world, the use of the city and its leisure areas was surrounded by excluding and segregating senses. Thereby, mapping the conventional leisure spaces in Belém (PA) was the objective of this work, to later analyze the relationship between centralized and ghettos neighborhoods, as well as their territorial extensions and populations. For this purpose, bibliographical and documental research were made, through the use of official documents and geolocation data, applying Google Earth as a tool. Data were submitted for calculation of two indicators, namely: the Development and Access to Culture Index (IDAC-absolute) and the Territorial Distribution of Leisure Areas Index (IDTEL-absolute). Regarding the IDAC (eq./hab.), it was found that the more central neighborhoods, such as Campina and Cidade Velha, had better results than the ghetto ones, such as Barreiro and Pratinha. Nevertheless, although territorial extension has a significant influence on IDTEL (ha./eq.), there is a clear difference between neighborhoods more and less distant from the city center. Taking Barreiro as an example, one of the smallest neighborhoods in territorial extension, it was noted one of the lowest indicators. It became evident, therefore, the idea that the farther away from the urban center, the fewer services and equipment are made available in Belém. It should be noted that the mapped spaces converge with the understanding of conventional leisure, which, historically, has defined what leisure is, in what space and time it should take place and who can benefit from it.