Lazer e o direito à cidade: o caso das assessorias esportivas no parque Barigui, Curitiba/PR

Abstract

The main intention of the research is to discuss the problems of public parks´ appropriation in Curitiba / Paraná, especially Barigui Park, by private companies (sports advisory). In this scope, in order to understand the appropriation of Barigui Park, through sports advisory, establishing (or not) specific forms to leisure access. Therefore, it was developed a qualitative research, through a case study at Barigui Park, which is an example on this occupation strategy, gathering the largest number of sports advisories on the public spaces of the city. For the survey of empirical data, it was taken into account the park observation, as well as semi-structured interviews with public managers, park users, representatives and students of advisory sport services on this space. The data collected in the field research was analyzed based on content analysis technique. For the research design, the thesis focused on the discussion about leisure and space, the production of urban space in Curitiba, the appropriation of urban space, and the relationship between citizenship and the appropriation of public space. The public space analysis was pointed out in the research providing that, currently, it has developed a prominent role in the modern city; it can be considered a coordinator and organizer of the society. And it is through its appropriation by the subjects that it achieves its sense and meaning. In this context, understanding these forms of appropriation and, consequently, the sense and meanings attributed to space, it is possible to understand the social relations built up in this scope. The cities, therefore so, are made up by a variety of social practices throughout the history, which are related to the space constitution. Curitiba is linked to this discussion, due to the fact that, historically, it has been impacted for big changings of the urban space brought about by the city hall, which led to the creation of several public spaces. In this process, we can stand out the creation of urban parks, which became places of population sociability, presented by the city hall as synthesis-spaces of collective life of Curitiba inhabitants and suitable under the auspices of leisure. Through the appropriation of these spaces it has been possible to build up a relation with the conquest of citizenship, that is, the relation between the public space and citizenship as a right of the city. The attendance of sports advisories in these spaces, as a private agent, suggests the commitment of citizenship, building up symbolic barriers. However, the research showed that, simultaneously, this kind of appropriation can provide the changing of space into place, endowing it with meaning and, thus, enabling the materialization of citizenship.