Urban green spaces such as parks, sports fields, woods, lakesides, and gardens give people the space for physical activity, relaxation, peace, and an escape from heat. Multiple studies have shown that these spaces reduce stress and boost mental and physical health as well as mitigate the effects of pollution and can reduce a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect generated by people, transport, shops and industry is trapped in the narrow roads and concrete structures, unable to escape to the atmosphere.
Young people enjoy outdoor activities in Tao Dan Park in District 1 (Photo: SGGP)
For many years, land for parks citywide have been shrinking. For the first time, the municipal People’s Committee has greenlighted to build a lot of new parks with the aim to increase the area for park construction from 0.64 square meters presently to 1.2 square meters of urban green space for each person by 2030.
Phu Huu Park in Thu Duc City is one of seven newly-built park this year. Resident Nguyen Thi Vui living near the park said that after the 3,500 square meter public park has been open to public from early 2021, people nearby started to gather in the park for outdoor workout and activities.
Elsewhere in the city, construction workers are being rushed off their feet to complete three new parks in District 7, one in District 12, one in Tan Binh District, and one in Cu Chi outlying district.
Head of the district Urban Management Division Nguyen Duc Tri said the park investor is speeding up the park and the district authority is determined to open the park this year as scheduled.
District 7 has been building three big parks, one in Tran Xuan Soan Street with area of over 97,000 square meters and 10 -hectare Song Tan park in Tan Kieng ward and 9-hectare park along Ban Don canal in Binh Thuan ward.
However, to attain the goal of one square meters of urban green space for each person by 2030, the city’s limited budget fails to carry out the plan. Accordingly, social contribution is needed, the city will call for enterprises’ cooperation. In recent years, social contributions have proved effective as the city has additional green parks including Nam Vien park in Phu My Hung urban area in District 7.
Dai Phuc Group, investor of Van Phuc urban are in Thu Duc City’s Hiep Binh Phuoc ward poured VND350 billion (US$ 15,157,252) in 5-hectare Kenh Song Trang park.
Chairman of the People’s Committee in Hoc Mon District Duong Hong Thang said that the local administrators encouraged inhabitants to plant trees in addition to call for enterprises’ participation in park construction to achieve the goal by 2030. The District focused on greenery development to better serve city dwellers by asking property investors to build parks in their projects
City authorities are strongly oriented towards smart, innovative and greener city for sustainable development and green space is the big goal. The city therefore needs to fix its inadequacies and take back land in parks used for businesses and impose harsh punishment on property investors who failed to follow their registered design of the condominium.
A leader of the Department of Planning and Architecture in HCMC revealed in early 2021, the municipal People’s Committee has approved the project to develop parks in tree in public places for the 2020-2030 period. In the project, the city strives to increase public park area to 150 hectares in the period with 0.65 square meters of urban green space for each person meanwhile it will be 1.2 square meters for each person for the 2026-2030 period.
To soon attain the set goal , the city has put forward several solutions including taking back public land for construction of parks. Moreover, existing factories and industrial establishments in residential areas will be removed out of the inner city. Empty land will be for building parks or flower gardens to serve city dwellers. City administrations will require investors of property projects to build green space.
The city will have software to record all assets of green areas and their attributes, like trees, playgrounds, lawns, flower beds, hard assets.
