Images of the new parks courtesy of MMUP/Baladiya
Amidst the dust blown up by all the construction projects currently taking place across town, news of the opening of four new family parks in Qatar should come as welcome news to residents who want to enjoy the winter in the open-air.
Described as a “gift in celebration of National Day” which will take place next Thursday, the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning (known as Baladiya) has announced that the new gardens are ready to take their first visitors.
@Baladiya1 @GulfTimes_QATAR thanks, we have been waiting many months for the opening of the Dafna park near west bay petrol station.
— Mohamed Rayan (@engMohamedrayan) December 11, 2014
Onaiza Park, situated in Dafna, near Al Jazi Gardens housing compound, is one of the largest of the new four. Some 23,000 sq meters in size, its facilities include a shaded children’s play area with rubber matted flooring, football pitches covered with industrial turf, shaded seating areas, a cafe, toilets and a water cooler, as well as numerous water features.
The largest of the new sites is Al Shehaniyah Park, West of Doha, on the Dukhan Road. This 26,000 sq m park has a mosque, football pitches, a children’s play area, basketball and handball courts, seating areas, toilets and water coolers.
The smaller (2,094 sq m) Al Khairaitiyat Plaza, just north of Doha, has a covered kiddie play area, shaded seating and toilets, while Um Salal Park‘s facilities include a prayer room, children’s play area, cafe, toilets and free wifi on the 1,227 sq meter site.
Green lungs
Residents often call for the construction of more green gems around town, as an open air alternative to malls, to enjoy time with family and friends.
There are a number of big, well-known parks such as Dahl al Hammam family park near Landmark Mall, MIA park, Aspire Park and the relatively new but very popular Barzan Park. 
One of Qatar’s oldest and busiest green spaces was Rumailah (al Bidda) Park, in the heart of the city on the Corniche. However, it was closed to the public last month as it undergoes renovation works that are believed to be part of the Doha Grand Park project.
There are in fact around two dozen smaller, local parks dotted around Doha and beyond, which can hard to find without insider knowledge, but provide a great escape from the daily hustle and bustle.
Qatar blogger Christine Gerber-Rutt has documented them for JustHere and you can find full details, including facilities, locations and directions, here.
Sheraton Park delays
Meanwhile, the new Sheraton Park, which has long been scheduled to open this month, is still under construction and developers QDVC has not confirmed when it will be finished.
Built in the hotel grounds, atop a four-level underground car park for 2,800 vehicles, it will give much-needed extra green space amid the high-rises of downtown Dafna.
The seven hectares of public garden are set to have soft landscaping and hardscaping, children’s playground areas, cafes, restaurants and water features.
Hundreds of workers could be seen on the site, readying it ahead of the GCC leaders’ conference which took place at the recently-refurbished Sheraton earlier this week. However, it looks like residents will have to wait a little longer before they can explore the park.
What is your favorite park in Qatar?
We loved the Muathier one when it opened, but after a week it was like a rubbish dump. Litter left everywhere and so unhygenic flys refused to go there. Pity.
ignorance that horrid beast!
Fantastic. Idea – how about a wooded park. All great having these grassed parks but this country could really do with some trees. Would be the lungs to the city and trees planted now would be great for the World Cup – passive cooling walkways. Besides wooded parks would give some privacy in public areas – albeit with some security.
It hurts me to daily see trees at the side of roads and some private houses being axed. Not trimmed – Axed!!!
Agree more trees less grass… I hate treeless parks… It’s not a park unless kids have trees to run around and climb
Most trees would die in the summer heat…
no many are fine in the summer. @Blue is right, they are axed. Seen it too many times
The car park at the departures terminal is my favourite – (attempted humour for the weekend)
good.
Nice to hear about new parks, but no news about Al Khor park, it’s closed since 2009 for renovation and supposed to be opened in 2010, but still no news. From the outside it looks finished, no idea why it’s not opened yet.
I loved finding these new parks “locked”. No one to answer why…..yep.