O lazer popular nos espaços à beira-mar em Fortaleza-CE

Abstract

The research “The popular leisure at seafront spaces in Fortaleza-CE”, aims to study the appropriation of Fortaleza’s coastline by leisure practices. Over time, the modern maritime practices, which initially consisted of sea bathing and walks on the beach, had new uses being added, strengthening these new bonds with the seafront. When looking to the coastline as a leisure space a few questions were raised: Are coastal spaces seen, lived and appropriated by general population? Do population have the coastline as a space for leisure practices? Which leisure practices are carried out? From these questions we seek to comprehend the appropriation process of Fortaleza’s seafront with emphasis in the leisure practices and in the socio-spatial changings occurred in the last decades of the 20th century and in the beginning of the 21st century. This period marks the intensification of private and public policies and actions aimed to the coastline and to the leisure practices. To achieve the aims proposed by the research, the methodological procedures were divided in three stages: bibliographic research, queries to public bodies and fieldwork. The theoretical reference systematization provided support to the appropriation process analysis. From a qualitative-quantitative approach, observational fieldwork and application of questionnaires were carried out. Through these research tools, some data were acquired such as: the description of the areas, the predominant age range and gender, access conditions and infrastructure conditions. From the collected data, it was possible to identify the social segments which use the equipment, the leisure practices that are carried out and the interference of urban planning interventions carried out along the coastline. The desire for the sea has been rooted in Fortaleza’s culture. The beach leisure in Fortaleza is carried out by general population, from people with high purchasing power to people with low income. The conventional practices of leisure at the seafront (sea bathing, sunbathing and landscape contemplation), the sports practices and the relationship activities bring together these same individuals in the same space: the beach.