Riyadh park visitors seek cleaner facilities

Public parks at the Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter (DQ) have come to the relief of many of the city’s residents who have long awaited alternative venues to spend their time off.
Yet many park-goers complain that fellow residents ruin their experience by leaving behind litter and failing to leave public toilets in a sanitary state.
“These public parks are set up to give city residents alternative places for relaxation and for family bonding,” said Mahmoud Moussim, an Indian expat who works as a computer programmer at a local company.
He said people who choose a less crowded and more peaceful environment prefer to spend time at these parks instead of passing time in more popular places, which are normally noisy or crowded.
Moussim complained that other visitors have been careless in using the facilities. Ihsan Mahmoud, a Pakistani staff at a local firm, said: “While cleanliness is maintained inside the DQ, some mindlessly leave litter inside the parks. They should pick up their waste before they leave out of respect for other visitors and the DQ management. What’s worse, they often don’t bother to flush the toilet after using it.”
Meynard Pesig, a Filipino engineer who works for a local company, said he and his wife routinely visit the park. “The good weather encourages us to pass by the park whenever we can,” he said, adding that visitors should avoid littering in them.