Public parks draw crowds as weather conditions improve

The evenings are now less humid and the public parks are starting to come alive with larger crowds venturing out to get engaged in outdoor activities. This trend has been in the making for the last few weeks following the dip in the temperature. Many people now opt to go out and spend time in the parks while getting engaged in recreational activities, jogging and exercises while some go for fun evenings with family and friends enjoying barbecues."What draws many people out is the improving weather conditions,” said Adil Abdulkhader, a member of Wellness Challengers, a grouping of regular walkers and wellness enthusiasts.With well-maintained tracks, greenery, amenities, eateries, seating, fitness equipment and play areas for kids Qatar’s park is the ideal place for engaging in physical activities, relaxing and gathering."Parks have started to witness the crowd. The vibrant atmosphere draws them during the evening and morning. Many make use of the good weather to jog and play inside the park. Amidst the lush green spaces, they feel freshness inside the park,” said Jayaram Sajeev, who is a professional physical trainer.The new parks in Qatar have walking and cycling paths. There are dozens of parking spaces including those designated for people with special needs. A large number of solar-powered lighting poles have been installed throughout the park in addition to several surveillance cameras that operate round-the-clock. "The facilities including the availability of amenities and fresh drinking water inside the park are remarkable. The availability of parking lots makes commutation easy. We feel secure and safe while we take the children because the visitors are always under surveillance camera watch,” Adil said.He explained that the vibrant atmosphere and facilities including provision for roller skating and play areas draw children to the parks.The Ministry of Municipality is also keen to hold maintenance ahead of the end of summer in order to facilitate the visitors.Apart from the regular maintenance works, the ministry launched intensive seasonal maintenance for the green areas at the public parks and gardens across Qatar from Sept 15 to Oct 15. This was to prepare them to receive visitors during winter.The number of parks went up by 27% in four years. There were 113 public parks and corniches in 2019 across the country while the number stood at 144 in 2023. The ministry is planning to open 15 new parks this year. Some have already been opened during the first half.There has been a considerable expansion of green spaces across the country, reaching 43sq km, through joint projects between the ministry and other government entities.