CHAPTER ONE
1.1    INTRODUCTION
In all settlements, it is explicit that man should work and also play whenever he is free from established routines of work and domestic duties, and since man cannot work throughout the day, it then become necessary that during the free time man can engage himself in different forms of recreation activities.
Recreation has been regarded as an integral part of social life. It is growing important aspect of physical planning which is often neglected. The benefits derivable from recreation cannot be over looked. The average adult must ‘spend a certain number of hours daily at some kind of work in order to earn a living or to care for a family. The growing child must attend school regularly. Eating, sleeping and other task usually take a definite amount of time each day. But it is seldom necessary for people to devote all their time for this occupation. Most people have sometimes in which they do things for the sole reason that they find pleasure in doing them, such activities are called recreation.
Different people all over universe achieve varying forms of satisfaction from this different activities, whereas, some achieve theirs, outside their daily routine work and other achieve satisfaction during their daily route work. There are some other conflicting ideas in take and satisfaction for one individual to another makes the issue of recreation vague and ambiguous. This is because what serve as recreation for one man, may be an economic venture to another, where as to others, is a disgusting idea to be engaged in these activities.
As the estate are the new open and planned areas within Ilorin metropolis, that are suppose to have contained social life facilities such as recreational facilities are not applicable or in some cases not functioning.
Therefore, recreation cannot only gives pleasure but also helps to renew or recreate the mind, soul and body. For this reason, if well organized recreational facilities are provided for the estate, resident of the estate will be able to satisfy themselves by engaging in various recreational activities and they will also have the opportunity to develop their personalities and interacts to fullest possible extents.
1.2    STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS
These are the problem identified in the study areas: this problem includes inadequate and poor planning of recreational land uses: inadequacy of existing recreational facilities and poor attitude of resident is towards recreational activities.
1.3    AIM OF THE PROJECT
The aim of this project is to appraise the functionality of the recreational facilities in selected housing estate in Ilorin, so as to recommend the required and standard facilities for the estates.
1.4    OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study include the followings:
i.    To identify the existing recreational facilities available in the estate,
ii.    To evaluate the recreational behavior of residents in the estate toward recreational uses.
iii.    To examine the adequacy of existing recreational facilities available in the estate.
iv.    To recommend the required and standard recreational facilities for the estate.
1.5    JUSTIFICATION
As the estate are the new open-up and planned areas in Ilorin metropolis, that are suppose to have contained social life facilities such as recreational facilities which are not applicable in some cases not functioning. The traditional and other developed part of the city lack element of physical planning, such that the social life facilities were not incorporated in the system.
Therefore, the benefits derived from recreation cannot be over emphasized. It must be realized that, play for children addescent and adult is not a negative operation. Since "all works are not play makes jack a dull boy", and that since people cannot work throughout the day it then become necessary, that during the time not working people should engaged themselves in different forms of activities.
I therefore fell contempted that, the pattern of distribution of recreational facilities within the estate should be viewed and recommendation should be made.
1.6    SCOPE AND LIMITATION
This project covers the pattern and distribution of recreational facilities in ADEWOLE  housing estates in Ilorin. Due to financial and time constraint, this project will be limited to active recreation.