A comparative analysis of land use for leisure purposes in the districts of Esfahan city inthe 1996-2006 period

Due to everyday need of entertainment in today's cities,the changein work patterns and life styleis growing. On the other hand, restoration and preservation of the vitality and dynamism of cities and urban environments requires the presence of both urban spaces, inhabitants, and their social interactions with one another. This study aims to find the indexes of extension of city districts as compared to that of leisure uses during 1996 to 2006. A cross-sectional method is usedalong with quantitative models including Leisure Development composite index (LDI) and Williamson coefficient of variation (CV). The results based on the model (LDI) in 1996 marks the sixth district with a score of 0.74 as the first-rank place, district 8 with a score of 0.38 in the second rank, and district 3 with a score of 0.23 as the third-rank pace in the city.Districts 1, 4 and 5 are descendently rated. Based on a combination of measures to develop tourism in 2006, the city district 3 with a score of 0.80 was in the first place, district 4 with a score of 0.73 in the second place, and district 6 with a score of 0.58 in the third rank.Districts 10, 8 and 2were ordered descendently.The distribution of the indices related to the leisure areas in the city in 2006, using the Williamson model, reveals unequal access to recreational areas by the residence of the city.