DUBAI // Public parks in the emirate are to be refurbished to make them more accessible for disabled people.
The Dubai Municipality project will start in October and take two years to complete.
It will cover all major public and residential parks, said Hussain Nasser Lootah, the director general of Dubai Municipality. Mr Lootah said giving disabled children a place to play in would help them to adapt and integrate into society.
“Dubai Municipality has paid great attention to special needs by setting requirements for Dubai’s buildings and public facilities, including parks, streets and markets, as well as by holding activities that aim to reach out to and integrate special needs,” Mr Lootah said.
He said that all parks would eventually have playing equipment for special-needs children, wheelchair access, disabled toilet facilities, as well as parking spaces for disabled drivers. Disabled people would be given free access to all major parks, while wheelchairs will be on hand for them to use.
The Mamzar Beach Park and Jumeirah Beach Park in Dubai will be the first to undergo the refurbishment.
The new project is part of the “My Society, A Place for Everyone” initiative launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, with the goal of making the city completely disabled friendly by 2020, when it will host the World Expo.
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