Public parks are seen as a haven from the stresses of urban life. They are a vital part of a city’s infrastructure and can bring a real quality of life to urban dwellers. Parks should be freely accessible to all citizens and used as places to congregate， relax and play. These public spaces are a part of our culture， so any talk of closing them down or starting to charge people a fee for entry into the grounds could be disastrous.
Of course， public services cost a lot of money to run. People would complain if parks fell into a state of disrepair because the public purse was strained. Public parks need to be regularly cut back and the public statues and buildings maintained. It costs money to hire gardeners and refuse collectors， to paint and to repair， to plant new trees and remove old ones. However， just because these jobs need funding doesn’t mean that people should be charged for visiting their own local park. There are other ways， like increasing taxation or raising parking charges that can cover the costs without alienating park visitors of all ages. I believe that parks are a part of local democracy and residents’ lives， so they should be free to enter at any time they wish， and I don’t believe that any good can come from introducing a fee.
Of course， there are parks around the world that are well-known and very prestigious. Maybe， in a case like this， it is reasonable to levy an entrance fee. However， this should not extend to the general park. People go to these local parks after work or take the kids to play in the park on the weekend. No one would want to go to the park just after work and have to pay to get in. This would be completely undemocratic and would alienate the poorest in society from making use of public space.
