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  Among the modern buildings and spacious roads which have come to dominate the cityscape, well-designed patches of green have appeared as the city’s urban growth has brought along a somewhat unusual outcome. While in other cities, urbanization means the disappearance of green spaces, in Dubai it meant the exact opposite. Since 1974, when the city’s first public park, Mushrif Park appeared, Dubai’s network of parks and green areas has expanded rapidly and it now has the largest number of parks in the UAE. Currently Dubai boasts five large public parks and 13 smaller residential parks, spreading to a size of 500 hectares. More projects are in the pipeline as the government of Dubai has prepared a long-term plan to have green spaces on eight per cent of its land, a figure which complies with international standards.

  Dubai’s parks serve two purposes. One is to provide recreational facilities for the city’s population and this seems to be a job well done as just the five major parks are visited by some 3 million people each year. An additional 2 million people per year are flocking to the city’s residential parks, which are situated in neighborhoods all over the city. The parks and green areas are also a vital part of the city planning process as they not only are a treat for the eyes, but also help reduce the amount of air pollution the city is subjected to.

  Maintaining the city’s treasured greenery is no easy task in an area where the climate is naturally arid. It takes a workforce of 800 people, including employees of the private companies responsible for all cleaning services, as well as over 11 million cubic metres of water per year. Safa Park consumes the biggest amount of water – more than 3.5 million cubic metres per year, followed by the Creek Park – 2.9 cubic metres per year.

  Because rainfall is rare in the area and there are few naturally occurring fresh water sources, Dubai’s parks boast sophisticated drop water and automatic irrigation systems, which are as efficient as possible. Plants native to the region are selected so that maximum water efficiency could be achieved. The most widely available plan in Dubai’s parks is the Phoenix Dactylifera, or palm tree, which is best able to withstand the desert’s hot summers.

  A more thorough look at Dubai’s main parks will reveal they all have their own identity.

  Dubai’s first park, Mushrif Park, is a good example of nature and nurture in a perfect harmony. Situated about 15 kilometres away from the city centre, towards the road  to Al Khawanij, Mushrif was a naturally green area with beautiful trees, some of them over 50 years of age. A favourite place for the city’s nature enthusiasts, Mushrif became even more popular after it was turned into a park in 1974. Originally 125 hectares large, the park has undergone many expansion and development projects and is currently Dubai’s largest park, spreading to a total area of 525 hectares of which 42,500 square metres are green lawns. There are almost 30,000 trees and bushes, including date palm trees which were native to the area before the park was constructed. Highlighting the park’s family appeal, there are extensive sports facilities, an international village with 13 models of houses from different countries around the globe and almost 30 picnic areas with all necessary facilities.

  Dubai’s second largest park is the Creek Park, which opened in 1994. Situated in close proximity to the city centre, the park cost Dhs106 million to be built. The park offers spectacular views of the city’s creek and can be even reached by boat. It is equipped with three helicopter landing pads, a small 18-hole mini golf course and an amphitheatre for up to 1,200 people. The Creek Park will be of particular interest to landscaping and horticulture enthusiasts as it contains 280 kinds of plans cultivated in the UAE for the first time. Visitors can also witness the ditch irrigation method, which was widely used in the country in the past.

  First opened in 1975, Al Safa Park, which is located on the side of Sheikh Zayed Road boasts vast green lawns, which cover 80 per cent of its entire area. Since the park first opened its doors, two phases of development, have given a boost to its facilities, which include a ladies park area where women and their children can relax in peace. Al Safa also boasts a traffic village with running battery cars, mini-roads with traffic signs and pedestrian crossings, which is the ideal learning ground for children, when it comes to the traffic rules and regulations. There is also a giant rotating wheel, an air-conditioned hall with a variety of games and a park train.

  Opened in 1989, the Jumeirah Beach Park is probably one of the city’s most popular leisure spots. Overlooking the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf, this park attracts hundreds of beach enthusiasts each weekend. To make enjoying the park’s beautiful beach, the park authorities have provided five watchtowers with expert lifeguards and first-aid specialists as well as rescue boats and even a helicopter pad to be used in case of emergencies. Desert plants and bushes as well various rock formations characterize the park grounds.

  Opened in 1994, Al Mumzar Park is the city’s second beach park. Spreading to some 99 hectares, this park cost Dhs100 million. It lies on the stretch of sea shore north of Al Hamriya Port, within the Al Mumzar residential area. Besides the park’s five spacious beach areas, visitors can also enjoy the park’s large swimming pool, divided into special areas for children and adults. Facilities such as changing rooms, showers are also available as is sea rescue and first-aid assistance. There are almost 30 barbeque areas on beach number five, while visitors looking for more privacy can rent one of 15 secluded bungalows situated on beach number four.

  Dubai’s first residential park, Nayef Park, was built in 1985. It covers an area of 1.5 hectares and is only available for families. The park has a large fountain, a watercourse and a large green lawn with a number of trees providing shade in the hot summer months.

  As Dubai is growing, so are its green areas. The city’s residents will soon be enjoying three new residential parks located in Satwa , Algooz and Nad-Al-Hammar.

  A new public park is also coming up. Situated on three separate plots between the Dubai World Trade Centre and Karama, the new Zabeel Park will open its doors at the end of summer this year and will be one of the largest facilities of its kind in the region. The municipality is spending about Dhs200 million to develop the infrastructure of the park, and it has so far attracted over Dh300 million in investment from the private sector to develop high-tech facilities for visitors. Private sector investment is likely to reach Dhs500 million.

  The 46-hectares facility has been designed along a modern technology theme and is being undertaken in two phases. The park will feature a 3-D cinema as well as a series of high-tech interactive displays, including educational and recreational exhibits. These will grouped into three zones: communications zone, a techno zone and an alternative energy zone.

  The communications zone will have a number of exhibits relating to communications, including a children's musical climbing frame, a satellite gallery showing the solar system and orbiting satellites and sound dragsters that will enable teams to compete in a race using the power of their own voices.

  The techno zone will offer exhibits, including interactive cubes that will react to a presence and touch, voice-activated bumper cars that will respond to the spoken commands of the driver, a robot maze (where players try to pass through a maze without being detected by a series of robots) and robot arm wrestling.

  The alternative energy zone will boast displays of solar, wind, geo-thermal and tidal power. Many of the exhibits will allow park visitors to compete against each other on teams to demonstrate their effectiveness at harnessing different forms of alternative energy. This will include racing cars that use solar power and pedal-powered hovercrafts demonstrating wind power. There will also be a space maze modelled after the planetary system and other technology-based attractions.

  The project's landmarks will also include a terraced-seating amphitheatre, built in eight-metre-high earth mounds, a large, 18,000-square-metre pedal-boat lake with a 25-metre high geyser fountain and a lakeside restaurant.

  Sports enthusiasts will look forward to a BMX circuit, a jogging track around the park, a grassed football area, mini golf and skateboarding park, assault course and adventure playground. With a grass area equivalent in size to 45 football pitches, Zabeel Park will feature almost 3,000 palm trees of 13 different species, with almost 7,000 other trees of 14 different species.

  The park will have a car parking area, which can accommodate some 2,300 vehicles.

  All parks in Dubai are managed by the Public Parks and Horticulture Department within Dubai Municipality, which is hard at work to make sure the city’s residents have available to them the most advanced leisure facilities in the region.