Assessing physical-exercise suitability in an urban canal corridor: evidence from the Cangzhou reach of China's Grand Canal.

INTRODUCTION: River corridors along the Grand Canal provide potential settings for outdoor physical exercise; however, existing assessment tools do not sufficiently address the combined requirements of longitudinal continuity, waterside accessibility, safety, comfort, and heritage-sensitive spatial conditions in linear canal corridors. METHODS: This study assessed 13 sample sites within a 24-km urban reach of the Grand Canal in Cangzhou, China. Based on field surveys, questionnaires, expert consultation, and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), an evaluation system was developed from four criteria: continuity, accessibility, safety, and comfort. Eighteen indicators were established and applied to 13 sample spaces. RESULTS: The results showed that safety carried the highest weight, followed by accessibility, while continuity and comfort had relatively lower weights. Using a consistent hierarchical AHP procedure and treating the site as the primary unit of aggregation, the mean composite suitability score of the 13 surveyed sites was 3.488, corresponding to Grade III (moderate). The west bank scored slightly higher than the east bank (3.545 vs. 3.422). Among spatial types, park-type spaces performed best (4.441, Grade II), followed by cultural-activity-type spaces (3.723, Grade III) and urban-road-type spaces (3.072, Grade III). DISCUSSION: The study reveals a mismatch between the relatively strong structural continuity of the canal corridor and the insufficient provision of activity-supportive facilities and environmental conditions. The proposed framework serves as a diagnostic tool for identifying priority deficiencies and informing type-specific renewal of urban canal spaces.