Work starts on 35km Dhahrat Namar Park in Riyadh

Work has started on Dhahrat Namar Park in southwest Riyadh as part of Saudi Arabia’s Green Riyadh initiative.

The park, a 35-km corridor and covering 2.5 million sq m, will extend through six neighbourhoods: Tuwaiq, Al-Awali, Shubra, Al-Suwaidi Al-Gharbi, Al-Hazm, and Namar, the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) said in a statement.

The park will have more than 47,000 native, valley-adapted trees, providing shade across 54 percent of its area.

The development will include tree-lined pedestrian promenades along the neighbourhoods, 52 km of walking trails, and a 33 km cycling track, aimed at encouraging residents to exceed an average of 6,000 steps per day.

The park’s design incorporates locally sourced materials that blend with the natural landscape of Wadi Hanifa. It will include 42 observation decks overlooking Wadi Namar and the lake, along with 46 seating and picnic areas.

In addition, three suspension bridges will connect the surrounding neighbourhoods to the green spaces, improving access and encouraging walkability across the area.

Construction will also include 29 sports courts and 17 children’s playgrounds. The park will provide 3,800 parking spaces and 10 public restrooms, in addition to other services and amenities such as restaurants and retail outlets, the statement said.

No timeline for the project’s completion was given.

In December 2023, tourism vice-minister Princess Haifa bint Mohammed Al-Saud said the kingdom would invest $92 billion to make Riyadh one of the world’s most sustainable cities by 2030.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the Saudi Green Initiative in 2021. It has set numerous targets and standards to boost energy efficiency. These cover 90 percent of home and building energy consumption.