In the next year, Dubai will get more than 30 new parks. Although no details on their locations were disclosed, officials said some of these will be big mega parks.
“The parks will range from mega parks to neighbourhood parks to smaller community play areas,” said Ahmed Ibrahim AlZarouni, Head of Public Parks and Recreational Facilities Department at Dubai Municipality.
The details were revealed on the first day of the Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) which began at the Dubai World Trade Centre on Monday. Held over four days, the exhibition attracts travel and tourism industry experts from all over the world.
In addition to the numbers, AlZarouni also revealed some details about the designs of the upcoming new green areas.
“The parks will have a new generation design,” he said. “If you have seen the new parks that we opened in Al Nahda, Qusais and Al Warqa, these are some of the new generation parks. These parks have more elegant designs and more play areas.”
Dubai is home to more than 190 parks that are dotted across the emirate. These are diverse, and include many facilities and services such as sports fields, playgrounds for children and people of determination, in addition to barbecue areas.
AlZarouni further revealed that the number of parks to be opened in the emirate will cross 70 in the coming three years.
“By 2026, we will have more than 70 parks across the emirate,” he said. “These will serve various communities and not just families.”
According to the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, the areas dedicated to recreational areas and parks will double. These will serve a growing population and will act as green corridors that link service areas, residential areas, and workplaces. They will also facilitate the movement of pedestrians, bicycles, and sustainable mobility means across the city, in coordination with developers and government departments.
Accodring to AlZarouni, each park is designed with the needs of its community residents in mind.
“Not all parks are made with kids play areas and family needs,” he said. “We do a study to find out the demographic of the people in that area. We then design a park that will benefit the majority there. In some areas, we see a lot of men playing cricket. We will build a cricket ground in the parks in that area. In some places, there are people who play basketball, so we include a basketball court. Each park is designed uniquely to meet the need of its community.”
