Could this be Dubai’s version of Central Park?

If you’ve ever found yourself bemoaning the lack of picnic spots in the city, here’s some good news – we’re about to get a huge new public park.

Dubai Holding has just signed a deal with Dubai Municipality to develop the emirate’s biggest public park, which will span 1.43 million square metres when complete.

That’s about the same size as Hyde Park in London. 

More…
*Video: We try Aventura, the new high-ropes park in Mirdiff*
*Have you heard about the cute new cafe hidden in a Dubai park?*

Located in Dubailand, the lush new park will increase public space in the city by 17 per cent.

“In addition to enhancing the natural landscape and attracting tourists, every major city, including New York, London and Singapore, has an iconic park that reflects its cultural and social identity,” said Ahmad Bin Byat, vice chairman and managing director of Dubai Holding.

“The provision of green, open spaces plays a pivotal role in elevating the quality of life among residents, creating a desire to explore new pursuits and enjoy favourite pastimes.”

WHAT FEATURES WILL THE PARK HAVE?

If you love getting around on foot, this will be the place to be. The inner city haven will boast 30 kilometres of pathways, 20km of jogging tracks, and 7km of nature trails.

There will also be 14km of cycle tracks, 45 sports grounds and five major events spaces.

Children will have 55 playgrounds to choose from, while parents can keep themselves entertained in the park’s shops, restaurants and cafes.

It’s going to be environmentally-friendly, too. When complete, the park will be home to 15,000 trees, which will improve the air quality of the area and enhance biodiversity. There will also be on-site power generation, waste recycling, and natural shading (you know, like nature’s air con).

Of course, this being Dubai, there will also be wi-fi connectivity throughout the park.

WHEN CAN I GO THERE?

Construction on the park’s first phase is expected to begin later this year.

This stage will create 318,000 square metres of greenery, with a 4km jogging track, 2km cycling track, and 7km of walkways.

We’ll keep you updated on the park’s progress, but for now, we’re already hunting down that perfectly Instagrammable gingham picnic blanket…

– For more about Dubai straight to your newsfeed, follow us on Facebook.