Recreational Facilities Research Articles

Role of Recreational Facilities in Community Well-Being in India

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the role of recreational facilities in community well-being in India. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study revealed that, ranging from parks and playgrounds to community centers and sports complexes, serve as focal points for social interaction, physical activity, and cultural exchange within neighborhoods. Studies indicate that access to such amenities correlates with improved mental and physical health outcomes, reduced stress levels, and increased community cohesion. Furthermore, recreational facilities often contribute to crime prevention by providing safe spaces for leisure activities and fostering a sense of belonging among residents. Their presence can also enhance property values and attract businesses, thus contributing to overall community development. As vital components of urban planning and public infrastructure, investing in and maintaining recreational facilities is essential for fostering healthier, happier, and more connected communities. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social capital theory, place attachment theory and ecological systems theory may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the role of recreational facilities in community well-being in India. Design and implement community-driven initiatives to enhance the accessibility, inclusivity, and quality of recreational facilities, ensuring that they meet the diverse needs and preferences of residents across different demographic groups and geographic contexts. Advocate for policies and funding mechanisms that prioritize investments in recreational infrastructure as integral components of urban planning and development strategies, recognizing their essential role in promoting public health, social cohesion, and economic vitality.

Smart Tourism Development for Recreation in Pesanggrahan Sangga Buana Urban Forest, South Jakarta

Urban forest is a form of green open space in the urban area. The use of information and communication technology based on smart tourism is an important factor in providing facilities for recreational areas. This research aims to formulate smart tourism-based development at PSBUF for recreation based on resources, management and preferences of visitors and the surrounding community. Data collection methods used were literature studies, field observation, questionnaires, and interviews. The data analysis used were qualitative, quantitative descriptive, and SWOT. Pesanggrahan Sangga Buana Urban Forest (PSBUF) has the potential to develop smart tourism-based facilities for recreation. Standard recreational facilities are available in the form of prayer rooms, toilets, gazebos, jogging tracks, parking lots, badminton courts and football fields. Urban forest management is carried out by EFG Sangga Buana with supervision by the DKI Jakarta Parks and Urban Forest Service. EFG Sangga Buana strives to preserve the environment in the DKI Jakarta area with facilities that do not disturb the surrounding ecosystem. The existence of jogging tracks and sports fields is still lacking. The biggest motivation for visiting the urban forest is to refresh the mind from daily boredom. Public facilities that are really needed are rubbish bins. Respondents need for smart tourism facilities in the form of CCTV is the highest. Recommendations for the development of facilities are optimizing potential, maximizing management cooperation, increasing PSBUF promotions, and optimizing coordination between managers.

Optimizing Child-Friendly and Affordable Street Environments within 15-Minute Living Circles: A Qualitative Case Study

Children’s daily environmental views and street interactions, especially on their walk to school, are understudied in urban planning and psychological development. Street environments affect children’s sense of security and learning possibilities, however there is a gap in how street environments within 15 minutes affect educational engagement and behaviour. This qualitative case study examined Nanchang, China, children aged 7–12’s street interactions to determine how they perceive and interact with street environments on their way to school. Observing 10 carefully selected children, analysing their drawings, and interviewing them revealed key features of child-friendly streets, such as eye-catching safety signs, a wealth of recreational facilities, and interactive design elements that greatly impacted children’s daily lives. Quality street environments can encourage autonomous exploration, improve social skills, and connect school learning. Provide urban planners and policymakers with knowledge to improve street environments for children’s holistic development.

Validation of the physical activity neighborhood environment scale using geographic information systems among urban men and women in regional China

AimsTo examine the concurrent validity of the Chinese version of Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Scale (PANES-CHN) among urban adults in regional China. MethodsWith multistage sampling approaches, 801 eligible urban adults aged 35–74 years were recruited from Nanjing municipality of China between July and September of 2019. The neighbourhood built environment features were measured subjectively with PANES-CHN and objectively with geographic information system. The concurrent validity of PANES was assessed using Spearman’s correlations (rs). ResultsAmong the total 801 participants, the mean age was 54.4 (standard deviation = 11.5), while 48.7 % were men. Overall, of all the five objectively-measurable built environment characteristics, the Spearman correlations were examined significant between subjective and objective measurements for commercial facilities (item 2) (rs = 0.19, 95CI%=0.12, 0.25), recreational facilities (item 6) (rs = 0.10, 95CI%=0.02, 0.16), traffic junctions (item 12) (rs = 0.15, 95CI%=0.07, 0.22), medical/education facilities (item 17) (rs = 0.22, 95CI%=0.15, 0.29), but not for public transport stops. Similar scenarios were observed for participants aged 35–60 years, with sufficient physical activity, men or women. The rs value for medical/education facilities (item 17) was significantly higher in participants aged 35–59 years (0.28 vs. 0.13; p = 0.04) than those aged 60 + years. ConclusionsPANES-CHN generally has an acceptable validity for assessing built environment characteristics among urban adults in China, which implies that PANES-CHN can be used to measure built environment attributes in health-related population studies.

A study of facilities offered by various Aqua Tourism Destinations in Nagpur City

Nagpur is also popularly called the Orange City; it is the second largest city in Maharashtra. Aqua tourism destinations in Nagpur are one that features water play areas, such as swimming pools, water slides, splash pads, spray grounds (water playgrounds), lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing, swimming, and bare footing environments. Their demand has increased due to facilities that offer indoor/outdoor attractions and amusements. Visitors to a water park will travel up to 25% of the time they plan to spend at the water park. The young and pre-teen age groups are the target market for water parks. The study has been conducted through observation method concerning directly with the objective of the study which was a unique experience of sailing or cruising to explore destinations of water tourism in Nagpur city. This descriptive research is done through SWOT analysis that is analysing and determining their Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Treats. The conclusion of the study the key success of the aqua tourism destinations are its safety and security appeal for a family vacation. These destinations may also need to be equipped with some type of artificial surfing or boarding environment such as a wave pool flow rider. It is a facility for enjoying a pool and related water features, and it is sometimes referred to as a leisure space with various recreational facilities. This growth might bringthe First, they offer a relatively high level of safety and security that appeal to guests for aquatic recreation. Second, take advantage of their primary appeal to children and teens. Water parks are increasing their appeal to the aging baby-boomer generation by not only providing entertainment options for children and grandchildren, but by providing older adults with access to hydrotherapy, aquatic fitness, and spa services. The key success of the aqua tourism destinations are its safety and security appeal for a family vacation. Keywords: Tourism, Aqua-Tourism Destination, SWOT-Analysis, Water park, Boarding environment, Recreational facilities.

Deep Learning–Based Assessment of Built Environment From Satellite Images and Cardiometabolic Disease Prevalence

Built environment plays an important role in development of cardiovascular disease. Large scale, pragmatic evaluation of built environment has been limited owing to scarce data and inconsistent data quality. To investigate the association between image-based built environment and the prevalence of cardiometabolic disease in urban cities. This cross-sectional study used features extracted from Google satellite images (GSI) to measure the built environment and link them with prevalence of cardiometabolic disease. Convolutional neural networks, light gradient-boosting machines, and activation maps were used to assess the association with health outcomes and identify feature associations with coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The study obtained aerial images from GSI covering census tracts in 7 cities (Cleveland, Ohio; Fremont, California; Kansas City, Missouri; Detroit, Michigan; Bellevue, Washington; Brownsville, Texas; and Denver, Colorado). The study used census tract-level data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 500 Cities project. The data were originally collected from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System that surveyed people 18 years and older across the country. Analyses were conducted from February to December 2022. GSI images of built environment and cardiometabolic disease prevalence. Census tract-level estimated prevalence of CHD, stroke, and CKD based on image-based built environment features. The study obtained 31 786 aerial images from GSI covering 789 census tracts. Built environment features extracted from GSI using machine learning were associated with prevalence of CHD (R2 = 0.60), stroke (R2 = 0.65), and CKD (R2 = 0.64). The model performed better at distinguishing differences between cardiometabolic prevalence between cities than within cities (eg, highest within-city R2 = 0.39 vs between-city R2 = 0.64 for CKD). Addition of GSI features both outperformed and improved the model that only included age, sex, race, income, education, and composite indices for social determinants of health (R2 = 0.83 vs R2 = 0.76 for CHD; P <.001). Activation maps from the features revealed certain health-related built environment such as roads, highways, and railroads and recreational facilities such as amusement parks, arenas, and baseball parks. In this cross-sectional study, a significant portion of cardiometabolic disease prevalence was associated with GSI-based built environment using convolutional neural networks.

Residents' preferences for urban agriculture in Shanghai

Although urban agriculture (UA) has been gaining greater attention as part of an effort toward sustainable urban development in China, empirical knowledge is limited. We conducted a discrete choice experiment with 756 residents of Shanghai. Overall, the results indicate that respondents supported UA as they tended to favor one of the UA scenarios presented. Residents prefer UA facilities that utilize environmentally friendly production, offer farming activities, and are equipped with dining facilities. Regularly scheduled educational activities hosted by UA facilities are preferred to those on an irregular basis. In terms of location, residents prefer UA facilities that are close by but do not necessarily want UA facilities to be right in front of them. There is a stronger preference for UA among highly educated populations, those with primary and secondary school students, and those with agricultural work experience. Additionally, various UA attributes affect residents' preferences; overall, there is a high degree of homogeneity in residents’ preferences for various UA attributes. The marginal willingness to pay value is slightly higher than expected among the estimation results. There are three reasons for this outcome: the characteristics of UA as a recreational facility in China, the relatively high price level in Shanghai, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mapping urban well-being with Quality Of Life Index (QOLI) at the fine-scale of grid data

Accessibility of transport infrastructure, commercial amenities, recreational facilities, and green spaces is widely recognised as crucial to the well-being of urban residents. However, these features are often unevenly distributed across the geographical boundaries of a city, leading to disparities in the local quality of life. This study focuses on the city of Warsaw, Poland, and uses the aforementioned characteristics and the framework of the '15-min city' concept to construct a grid-level urban Quality of Life Index (QOLI) that facilitates comparisons between the city’s districts and local neighbourhoods. The results of our study reveal a “high-inside, low-outside” pattern of quality of life, characterised by higher standards of living in the central districts and lower standards at the city's periphery.

Key issues in the development of sports and recreation infrastructure in the historical settlement of samara

The article examines the main problems of the state and development of sports and recreational infrastructure within the boundaries of the historical settlement of the city of Samara. The main categories and types of objects represented in this territory are listed. An assessment of the technical condition of buildings and structures and the degree of development of sports and recreational infrastructure is provided. A calculation was made of the provision of the territory of the historical settlement with objects of this typology. An urban planning analysis was carried out to identify territorial reserves for the development of a sports and recreational network. The main problems encountered when designing or modernizing sports and recreational facilities within the boundaries of a historical settlement have been identified. The need to revise the design principles and urban planning regulations for the objects under consideration has been identified.

Effects of Urban Parks on Housing Prices in the Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Era in China

Urban parks are important for improving the quality of living environments. Although the impact of parks on housing prices has been well documented, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic remain vague. This paper analyzes the housing prices of neighborhoods around Meixi Lake park in Changsha, at the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020 and the stable stage of the recovery period in June 2023, which demonstrates the impacts of urban parks on property pricing and housing choice based on residential transaction data. The results indicate that urban parks are given a high priority in determining people’s choices. In June 2020, the risk of epidemic transmission and noise interference lowered the price of property that is close to public parks and recreational facilities. However, good management and social services in residential areas increase housing prices. However, when the pandemic ended, the strong demand for outdoor activities led to a price rise in the properties near Meixi Lake park. People are most likely to choose houses in a neighborhood characterized by good educational facilities and a high-quality living environment. More specially, the houses with a short distance to parks and where residents can enjoy the view of a lake or mountains are preferable to any others. A residential area adjacent to a super large park paired with a small park is the most valuable consideration for property developers and housing consumers.

Mycological Assessment of Selected Swimming Pools of Recreational Centers around the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Aims: This study was carried out to determine the physicochemical properties and mycological safety of four swimming pools within and around the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Study Design: Random sampling design was employed. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology Laboratory, University of Port Harcourt, between August and October, 2023. Methodology: A total of 8 samples were collected before and after patronage by patrons from 4 swimming pool. Standard methods were employed for the physicochemical parameters such as pH, turbidity and residual chlorine as well as the enumeration for fungi using potato dextrose agar. Results: The pH values ranged from 4.50 to 10.00. The Nephelometric Turbidity Unit ranged from 0.45 to 0.90 NTU while the residual chlorine ranged from 0.36 to 355.00 mg/l. The fungal counts ranged from 1 to 9 cfu/ml, while the isolated species on the basis of cultural morphology and microscopic characteristics were identified as species of Fusarium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Histoplasma, Rhodotorula, Microsporium and Trichophyton. Conclusion: This study has revealed a potential health risk associated with the use of water of the examined recreational facilities due to none compliance with the WHO standard of &lt; 1 cfu/100ml for fungal and the other parameters, suggesting a public health concern and need for effective interventions.

The association between neighborhood obesogenic factors and prostate cancer risk and mortality: the Southern Community Cohort Study.

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality among men in the United States. We examined the role of neighborhood obesogenic attributes on prostate cancer risk and mortality in the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS). From the total of 34,166 SCCS male participants, 28,356 were included in the analysis. We assessed the relationship between neighborhood obesogenic factors [neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) and neighborhood obesogenic environment indices including the restaurant environment index, the retail food environment index, parks, recreational facilities, and businesses] and prostate cancer risk and mortality by controlling for individual-level factors using a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model. We further stratified prostate cancer risk analysis by race and body mass index (BMI). Median follow-up time was 133 months [interquartile range (IQR): 103, 152], and the mean age was 51.62 (SD: ± 8.42) years. There were 1,524 (5.37%) prostate cancer diagnoses and 98 (6.43%) prostate cancer deaths during follow-up. Compared to participants residing in the wealthiest quintile, those residing in the poorest quintile had a higher risk of prostate cancer (aHR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.12-1.57, p = 0.001), particularly among non-obese men with a BMI < 30 (aHR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.07-1.98, p = 0.016). The restaurant environment index was associated with a higher prostate cancer risk in overweight (BMI ≥ 25) White men (aHR = 3.37, 95% CI 1.04-10.94, p = 0.043, quintile 1 vs. None). Obese Black individuals without any neighborhood recreational facilities had a 42% higher risk (aHR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.04-1.94, p = 0.026) compared to those with any access. Compared to residents in the wealthiest quintile and most walkable area, those residing within the poorest quintile (aHR = 3.43, 95% CI 1.54-7.64, p = 0.003) or the least walkable area (aHR = 3.45, 95% CI 1.22-9.78, p = 0.020) had a higher risk of prostate cancer death. Living in a lower-nSES area was associated with a higher prostate cancer risk, particularly among Black men. Restaurant and retail food environment indices were also associated with a higher prostate cancer risk, with stronger associations within overweight White individuals. Finally, residing in a low-SES neighborhood or the least walkable areas were associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer mortality.

Chinchero as Tourism Hub and Green Corridor as a Social Integrator in Cusco Peru 2023

This research focuses on the proposal of a corridor design that allows social and ecological integration in the context of a city with emerging potential as a tourist destination in Chinchero, Cusco. Key challenges addressed include lack of infrastructure to manage growing tourism demand, fragmentation of social identity, displacement of the local population due to gentrification processes, uncontrolled urban sprawl, and inappropriate exploitation of natural, cultural, and agricultural lands. To address these issues, a comprehensive diagnosis was carried out covering various urban-environmental dimensions, such as topography, road infrastructure, archeology, climate, and biodiversity. In this process, digital tools such as Blender, AutoCAD, Photoshop, and Affinity Designer were used. As a result of the analysis, an urban green corridor is proposed consisting of seven sectors covering the shores of the Piuray lagoon, the city center, and its archeological area, through the creation of socially active public spaces equipped with cultural, sports, and recreational facilities. The city of Chinchero, with its growing importance as a tourist destination, presents the opportunity and the need to develop a controlled urban development axis that promotes the connection between environmental, cultural, archeological, social, and tourism aspects. This objective is materialized in the form of a green corridor that seeks to promote social integration and a sense of territorial belonging.

Physical activity levels and sleep disturbances in Indonesian primary school students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background During the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Indonesian government implemented a large-scale, social restriction policy, including the closure of schools and recreational facilities, which potentially altered children’s physical activity and sleep patterns. Objective To analyze for a possible association between physical activity levels and sleep disturbances in Indonesian primary school students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 437 children aged 7-13 years using data collected online in April-August 2020, including children’s sociodemographic characteristics, physical activity levels, and sleep patterns. The translated Indonesian version of Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C) and the Children Sleep Habits Questionnaire-Abbreviated (CSHQ-A) were used to collect data. The data analyzed consisted of sociodemographic factors and physical activity levels, sociodemographic factors and sleep disturbances, and physical activity levels and sleep disturbances. Results Most children were physically inactive (60.87%) and experienced sleep disturbances (73.23%) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Female sex and physical inactivity were significantly associated. Male sex and sleep disturbances were significantly associated. Age 7 as the lowest age group was significantly associated with sleep disturbances. There was no significant association (P=0.248) between physical activity levels and sleep disturbances. Conclusion Most Indonesian primary school students were physically inactive and had sleep disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Female sex and physical inactivity were significantly associated, while male sex and sleep disturbances were significantly associated, age 7 (lower age group) and sleep disturbances were significantly associated. There was no significant association between physical activity levels and sleep disturbances in Indonesian primary school students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exploring the relationship between contextual factors and health-promoting lifestyle profile (HPLP) among medical students: A cross-sectional study.

The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between health-promoting lifestyle profile (HPLP) among medical students and contextual factors such as gender, age, field of study, academic level, marital status, history of physical and mental illnesses, and smoking. The present research was conducted in a cross-sectional method in 2021 on 500 students of Shiraz University of Medical Students. An e-questionnaire link was sent to them via email. The research tool was the HPLP questionnaire consisting of 52 questions in six domains in a 4-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 24 with one-sample t-test, independent t-test, analysis of variance, and Tukey's post hoc test. A total of 500 students fully answered the questions completely. All components of a healthy lifestyle-except for exercise-obtained a score higher than the cut-off point. The component of Self-Actualization (spiritual growth) (3.035 ± 0.68) had the highest score, while the lowest score was related to exercise and physical activity (2.126 ± 0.60). Married individuals had a better average health score compared to singles (p = 0.047). The average health score did not have a significant relationship with gender, but significantly related to age, field of study (p < 0.001), history of mental illnesses (p < 0.001) and Smoking (p < 0.001). It seems that university officials should pay more attention to the health domain of students' lifestyles, such as nutrition, the development of exercise and physical activities, and the management of stress and mental health. Additionally, providing necessary awareness and considering training courses, as well as developing sports and recreational facilities, can be effective in creating a better environment for the growth and development of students and ensuring their well-being.

Evaluation of Community Recreational Sports Activities at the Jambi City Governor's Office: Improving Quality and Participation

Purpose of the study: The main objective of this research is to identify the perceptions, preferences and experiences of the community in participating in recreational sports activities around the Jambi City governor's office.&#x0D; Methodology: This research uses a descriptive quantitative approach. The sampling technique uses simple random sampling. The data collection instrument uses a structured questionnaire about people's perceptions, preferences and experiences in participating in recreational sports activities in the city center. The data analysis technique uses descriptive statistics.&#x0D; Main Findings: The results of this research reveal that people's perceptions, preferences and experiences regarding recreational sports activities in Jambi city center show dominance in the good category, with around 50% of people seeing it as having a positive impact on them. Cycling, jogging/running and gymnastics are the most popular activities, especially on Saturdays and Sundays in the morning and afternoon. Important factors influencing the choice of recreation area include affordable prices, adequate facilities, and variety of activities.&#x0D; Novelty/Originality of this study: This research offers an in-depth understanding of people's perceptions, preferences and experiences regarding recreational sports activities in Jambi city center, as well as identifying activities of interest and preferred times of participation. The results have the potential to be an important basis for policy makers to design recreational facilities that suit community needs.

«Green» structures in the urbanized environment: studying the impact of «green» roofs on environmental parameters and rainwater quality. Bibliographic review

A quantitative analysis of the most cited articles published in the Scopus scientometric database by 2023 is carried out. It is shown that most of the publications, the object of study of which are "green" structures, focus on the study of "green" roofs. It is shown that since 1981, the number of studies on green roofs has been steadily increasing: approximately 45% of articles focus on the benefits in terms of thermal impact and thermal insulation, 18% on rainwater drainage, 15% on air quality, 5% on the noise-absorbing properties of green roofs, and 17% on the costs of building and operating green roofs, recreational facilities, fire protection, and other related issues. The requirements and commonly used materials for a standard green roof are described, as well as the percentage of scientific publications, depending on the functions and layers of green roof construction involved. An analysis of the most cited scientific studies on the impact of green roof systems on wastewater quality was conducted. It is shown that the results of the studies presented in these publications indicate the need for further study of the impact of a "green" roof on the amount of pollution in the water flowing from its surface. It is emphasized that further research should focus on the structural layers of the roof (thickness and materials used), namely the thickness and types of substrate layers, as well as on the conditions of plant care (e.g., fertilization), especially on intensive green roofs. In addition, it should be studied and analyzed how the retention of rainwater by plants and the soil layer of a green roof affects the relative humidity of the air near the building during periods without rain. The most cited scientific studies on the reduction of air pollutants by means of green roofs are analyzed. It is concluded that future research should focus on the study of plant species that are well adapted to growing on roofs (in temperate climates) and most effectively carry out the process of photosynthesis, absorbing CO2 and releasing O2 into the atmosphere around the building. The article analyzes the most cited scientific publications on the noise-absorbing properties of green roofs. It is substantiated that it is necessary to maximize the percentage of green roofs implementation on all buildings and structures in the city so that green roofs can significantly affect the quality of the environment in urbanized areas.

Economic essence of "investments" and their classification

The paper considers the economic essence of investments and their classification. The author studies the theoretical aspect of the concept of "investment" in accordance with its main characteristics, namely, as an object of economic management, as an alternative opportunity to invest capital in economic activities, as a form of attracting accumulated capital into the economic process. The author identifies common and distinctive features of the concepts of "investment" and "capital investment", in particular, by the following characteristics: purpose of implementation, term of implementation, form of implementation, scope of implementation, risk of capital loss, purpose and source of proceeds. The author identifies the role of investments for business entities, namely, ensuring the competitiveness of products and improving their quality, structural reorganization of production, creation of the necessary raw material base for the efficient functioning of enterprises, and solving social problems. The author classifies investments at an enterprise according to their division into real and portfolio investments. The former includes investments for enterprise development, in particular, for reconstruction and technical re-equipment, for expansion of the enterprise, for production of new products and for modernization of products and development of new resources, and investments for development of the non-industrial sphere, namely, for housing construction, for construction of sports and recreational facilities, and for improvement of working conditions and safety. As for portfolio investments, they are divided into the following two groups: acquisition of securities, in particular, acquisition of shares in other commercial organizations, acquisition of bonds and acquisition of other securities, and investments in assets of other enterprises, namely investments in assets of other manufacturing enterprises and in assets of financial and credit institutions, and investments in assets of other commercial organizations.

Роль ведущих предприятий в социально-экономическом развитии промышленных городов и в повышении их конкурентоспособности

Based on the work of domestic researchers and analysis of ESG reports of a number of Russian companies, the article reveals and systematizes the main directions and forms of influence of leading enterprises on the socio-economic development of industrial cities and their competitiveness. It highlights direct forms of their participation, which are carried out in the form of indirect injections (taxes of enterprises and their employees going to the city budget; social assistance to employees, development of their professional competencies), as well as in the form of material investments of companies directly in urban development (in the protection environment, construction and improvement of educational, cultural, sports, recreational facilities, organization of city events). Leading enterprises can participate in the management of urban processes, ranging from economic, infrastructural, social, image and ending with their environmental aspects. Analysis of corporations' reports and systematization of the types and forms of their activities allowed us to conclude that leading enterprises play a significant role in increasing the competitiveness of cities as a whole.

ASSESSMENT OF ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES IN THE SVIYAGA RIVER (ULYANOVSK REGION)

The Sviyaga River is a water resource, and a recreational facility. It is rich in fish, therefore the assessment of ecological processes in the Sviyaga river is relevant and has theoretical and practical significance. The relevance and practical significance of research is increasing due to the plans to use the Sviyaga river bays for aquaculture development.&#x0D; The purpose of the study was to examine the nature and direction of ecological processes in the Sviyaga River bays on the territory of the Ulyanovsk region.&#x0D; Materials and Methods. The assessment of the bay water quality was carried out according to organoleptic, hydrochemical and hydrobiological parameters.&#x0D; Results. Organoleptic water parameters in both bays met the requirements for natural waters. The maximum water temperature in summer reached 24–26 ºС, the average temperature was 20.5 ºС. The amount of dissolved oxygen (6.5 mg/l) corresponded to the optimal values for the life of many fish species, and pH level showed weak water alkalinity. Hydrochemical bay water composition indicated high organic pollution. In both bays, and in the Sviyaga river itself, the content of heavy metals and petroleum products was several times higher than the threshold limit value. BOD5 level in the bays significantly exceeded the limit values. BOD20 and chemical oxygen demand exceeded the standards four times. The results of a microbiological study revealed significant water contamination with Escherichia coli. The species composition of the aquatic phytocenosis in both bays largely corresponded to the Sviyaga River phytocenosis structure. However, the bays are characterized by plant species and ecological processes that indicate the initial stages of their waterlogging.