Parks, gardens that keep Riyadh breathing

RIYADH: The city of Riyadh has more than 500 parks and gardens where a number of national and cultural events are annually held, a Riyadh municipality official said.
“The Riyadh municipality is keen to care for gardens and parks to allow Riyadh residents and visitors to spend nice and sweet times,” Director General of Parks at Riyadh municipality Ibrahim Al-Huwaimil said.
Parks and squares in the city were turned into green platforms to bring joy to families in addition to their use through a variety of cultural and educational programs, he said.
The municipality has put certain comparative advantages into each garden or park. For youth squares, as an example, playgrounds for football, volleyball and tennis, together with lights were provided, in addition to a nearby mosque where youths can easily perform prayers, he said.
He said the municipality also plans to construct a series of new parks and gardens of different sizes and types to keep up with the expansion of the city.
Meanwhile, the municipality has carried rehabilitation work on some existing parks. The striking example is Riyadh Zoo which is located in Malaz district where the number of animals was increased and environments similar to their original environments were provided.
King Salman Park in Bunyan, which is located in the north of the city, is considered one of the largest natural parks which was inaugurated recently by the governor of Riyadh.
The park occupies an area of 3 million square meters and has natural rock formations where trees and shrubs have been planted. The park is expected to host a number of events and festivals in coming months.