Ministry of Municipalities and Housing's plan for developing public parks 2025
The Saudi Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has announced a major achievement in its ongoing efforts to develop public parks, aiming to create approximately 6 million square meters of green spaces across the Kingdom. This announcement culminates efforts undertaken over the past three years, extending to the end of 2025. The Ministry is relying on innovative investment models in this national project, in active partnership with the private sector, which has contributed to a positive financial impact estimated at around 2.4 billion Saudi Riyals by 2025.
Saudi Vision 2030 and the journey of environmental transformation
The move towards increasing green spaces is not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a natural and well-considered extension of the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, specifically the Quality of Life Program and the Saudi Green Initiative. Historically, Saudi cities have witnessed rapid urban development, which subsequently necessitated a restructuring of urban planning to ensure a sustainable environmental balance. Hence, the importance of transforming underutilized spaces into green areas has become evident. The official spokesperson for the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Rasasmeh, explained that this expansion is an extension of the Ministry's directives to maximize the efficiency of municipal assets and transform them into effective development elements, with a direct focus on improving the quality of life in Saudi cities by operating these facilities according to modern models that enhance operational efficiency and improve the visitor experience.
Strategic dimensions of public park development and its overall impact
project has The public parks development dimensions that extend beyond the local level, touching on regional and international aspirations in the field of sustainability. Locally, these projects contribute to stimulating the local economy, creating new job opportunities, and providing a healthy environment that supports sports and recreational activities for Saudi families. Regionally, this step enhances the Kingdom's position as a leading model for sustainable urban development in the Middle East. Internationally, increasing green spaces supports Saudi Arabia's commitment to international climate treaties to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change, reflecting a positive image of the Kingdom's environmental efforts to the international community.
Financial sustainability and partnership with the private sector
The official spokesperson indicated that the Ministry is working in full coordination with the municipalities to develop sustainable partnership models with the private sector. These partnerships aim to achieve financial sustainability and preserve the environmental and social identity of parks as open facilities serving various segments of society, while maintaining their public character and community role. He emphasized that the investment models adopted by the Ministry contribute to covering a significant portion of operating and maintenance costs, in addition to achieving capital savings through the private sector's implementation of construction and development works. This enhances the efficiency of municipal spending and reduces the burden on public funds.
Modern operational concepts and integrated urban platforms
Al-Rasasmeh explained that the scope of activities within the parks is witnessing a remarkable qualitative development; they are no longer limited to traditional services, but now encompass an integrated system of recreational, sports, and cultural activities, in addition to commercial services designed to harmonize with the surrounding environment. This diversity reflects the Ministry's direction towards transforming parks into integrated urban platforms that contribute to enhancing community participation. He also explained that the introduction of modern operational concepts and high-quality services has contributed to raising the level of services within the parks, increasing their appeal, and boosting visitor numbers, thus solidifying their position as one of the most prominent elements of the urban landscape.
Detailed technical studies to ensure quality
These efforts are part of the expansion of municipal investments through the Saudi Cities Investment Portal (Furas), which continues to offer high-quality opportunities to support cities' drive towards improving the efficiency of urban asset utilization. The official spokesperson added that investment ratios were determined based on meticulous technical studies to ensure a balance between the economic dimension and the social role of parks, with the possibility of revision according to project needs and feasibility studies, without negatively impacting green spaces or the quality of the visitor experience. The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing continues to work diligently to expand the scope of these development models, thereby strengthening the role of public parks as sustainable urban assets that effectively contribute to supporting the local economy and improving the quality of life for future generations.
