Dubai to unveil solar-powered park

The Sufouh Neighbourhood Park, enabled with solar power lighting, will be opened soon.

BY PMA RASHEED

11 May 2010, The Gulf Today

THE residents of Dubai will soon be able to explore a new park that is enabled with solar-powered lighting system, a first-of-its-kind public recreational facility in the region.

The general project department of Dubai Municipality (DM) has completed the first neighbourhood park, built on a total area of 1.55 hectares at an estimated cost of about Dhs7 million in Al Sufouh area.

Hussein Nasser Lootah, director general of the municipality, said that the special lighting elements used at the park's premises will exploit solar energy for lighting the park overnight in order to take advantage of alternative energy and become environmentally-friendly, while maintaining the night view of the park to look like a milestone in the region.

The municipality also plans to raise the per capita green area in the emirate to 23.4 square metres by the end of the year 2011, he added.

"The proportion of cultivated land in urban public areas in the city also will be raised to 3.15 per cent by the end of the same period," said Lootah.

"Al Sufouh solar-enabled park has been designed with global quality and safety standards, in addition to special amenities to people with special needs, in terms of selection of games appropriate and with ease of movement," he added.

According to him, the sophisticated designs and elements of the park have been set up based on a study conducted on the requirements of the region's residents.

Lootah said that the park was enriched with plant components of different seasonal flowers, trees and green spaces. There are two games areas intended for different age groups of children.

"An inspiring green environment has been created in the Al Sufouh park, enriching the imagination and creativity that goes in harmony with the urban boom witnessed by the emirate," he noted.

"The Sufooh neighbourhood park includes an open plaza, children's play area and full landscaped and shaded seating areas, along with all other general amenities, said Lootah.

"The sports court area contains a lawn tennis court, basketball court, and a beach volleyball court, in addition to a mini cycling track and a rubberised jogging track with fitness equipments for training and stretching," he explained. "The 500 metre jogging track of the park can be used by the residents anytime as it is located on the outside perimeter of the park."

"Beyond beautification of the city, the development of the park embodies effective application of environmental resources and alternative energy that will make Dubai lead the global cities that enter the third millennium with their green adornment," explained Lootah.

He said the Dubai model will harmonise as a green oasis and a support to the environment on the shores of the Arabian Gulf.

"The Sufouh park is classified in the group of theme parks built in the Emirate of Dubai, which provides recreational and entertainment services for residents of the region with green spaces and facilities," he said.

The municipality had opened a total of eight public parks in various locations of the emirate in March, as part of the civic body's 30th edition of Plantation Week activities.

The public parks included four pond parks built in Al Barsha, Al Nahda, Al Quoz and Al Qusais-3 areas. Other parks were New Garhoud Park in Garhoud area, Qusais Residential Park in Al Qusais and Al Wuheida School Park.

"The eight public parks, developed in a total of 162 hectares, were facilitated with landscaped gardens and green areas. A range of facilities for recreational activities including tennis and volleyball courts, football fields, jogging and cycling tracks, and skating areas have been provided at the parks," said Ahmed AbdulKarim, director of public parks and horticulture department at the DM.

According to him, boat-riding facility has been arranged at the Al Barsha pond park.

"Spanning over 4.8 hectares, the park is located in the vicinity of the Mall of the Emirates area, which witnesses a rapidly developing residential community. The park has got a 1.4 kilometre lengthy jogging and cycle track. Floating restaurants will be set up at the park soon," he explained.

"The Al Nahda pond park is one of the most comprehensive theme parks built in the city in the recent period, as it is the first entertainment facility in the Al Nahda area, the newest urban residential area proximate to Dubai and Sharjah border," added AbdulKarim.

"The park was constructed at a cost of about Dhs22 million at a total area of about 14.6 hectares. The park is characterised with a large water area as the total area of the pond stretches to 80,000 square metres, which represents 54.4 per cent of the total area of the park," he noted.

"Meanwhile, the Al Quoz Pond Park is characterised by a beautiful pond at an area of 45,000 square metres, covering 35.4 per cent of the park that spans in a total area of 127,000 square metres," he said.

According to AbdulKarim, the project has been completed at a total cost of about Dhs16 million. The technical excellence of the entertainment projects have been carried out in accordance with the highest global standards in developing public parks and creating modern landscaping methods.

Making the case for 'energy-mix'

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 23 Jan 2010

The UAE looks for an energy-mix policy, even though the country stands as a pioneer oil producer in the world, says the UAE environment minister.

Dr Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, the UAE Minister of Environment and Water (MOEW), was speaking to the media after the week-long World Future Energy Summit (WFES), which concluded in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

Dr Fahad told The Gulf Today that energy solutions from both petroleum and alternative energy sources can be utilised in the energy mix solutions policy. He said this on the sidelines of unveiling the international outlet of India's Reliance Solar Group at the Dubai Creek Towers on Friday,

"The UAE is directing its resources to develop the clean and renewable energy - energy for the future."

"The contribution of renewable energy can significantly provide effective solutions to combat the severe threat posed by climate change," he added.

According to Dr Fahad, the WFES could highlight a realistic attitude among the international community towards practising a sustainable environment policy, apart from the controversial Copenhagen climate change conference held in the Danish capital last month.

He pointed out, "The OPEC countries have never opposed strategies to popularise alternative energy solutions like solar energy. The UAE is securing its energy mix that could be a choice for every country to resolve their challenges.

He hoped the WFES, being the first significant world summit after the disappointment of Copenhagen, will help the world leaders to bring out an improved result at the upcoming global climate change conference in Mexico.

Dr Fahad said, "Copenhagen was only a step ahead - but paced without ambition. Its outcome was not sufficient to meet the world's climate change challenges, as it was not based on scientific factors, but mere economic and political interests."

"Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi summit was very crucial, paving the way for the next ministerial meeting hosted by Germany in June," he added.

"The WFES success have balanced the setbacks of Copenhagen, the results of were discussed in Abu Dhabi by a large number of policy makers, experts, activists and entrepreneurs from over 130 countries," Dr Fahad said.