Nestling in nature
There had been much talk about transforming Dhaka city parks and playgrounds into modern ones. But no time-befitting initiative was taken to make the vision a reality until recently.
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has come up with a mega project, in consultation with architects, town planners and experts, to give facelift to 19 parks and 12 playgrounds under its jurisdiction.
Under the project, 20 parks and playgrounds are to be renovated in the first phase, said DSCC Additional Chief Engineer Asaduzzaman, adding that the work of Rasulbagh Shishu Park already started in August.
In a new development, DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon will inaugurate the work of Golapbagh playground today, an official of DSCC confirmed yesterday.
The remaining parks are Gulistan Park (Shaheed Matiur Rahman), Motijheel Park, Mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon Park (Sharafatganj Park), Jatrabari Chowrasta Park, Sirajuddoula Park, Sikkatuly Park, Malitola Park and Bangshal Park.
The playgrounds to be included in the project are Kalabagan playground, Basabo playground, Sadeque Hossain Khoka playground, Delowar Hossain playground, Amligola playground, Shahid Nagar Mini Stadium, Balurghat playground, Shahid Abdul Alim playground, Samsabad playground and Bangladesh Maath.
Earlier, a total of 70 architects prepared draft designs of the parks and playgrounds and presented those at Nagar Bhaban last year, said a DSCC official. In the designs, the experts opined that the parks must contain greenery. Moreover, boundary walls or the fences around the parks or playgrounds should be removed in most of the cases.
This correspondent recently spoke with Joint Secretary of Bapa architect Iqbal Habib, also one of the 70 architects. He said their firm Vitti has prepared designs of 11 parks and playgrounds.
He said the experts dividing into three groups will be taking care of the project, but there have to be some common features in the work.
He said they are not dividing parks and playgrounds; rather, a park will have a playground in it and a playground will have features of a park around it. In this regard, he said, as the number of parks and playgrounds is very few compared to the necessity of urbanites, they are not for separating the green spaces.
A person will get both the facilities in a park or a playground, he said, adding that they had prepared the designs taking into consideration the preference of children, adolescent and elderly people.
Each park or playground will contain civic amenities like garbage management facility, water pump and public toilet. There has to be seating arrangement as well for hawkers in some designated spots.
“We have brought the civic amenities under an umbrella in the project … all the facilities will be kept in a systematic way,” Iqbal added.
There will be facilities of library or gymnasium in some parks or playgrounds, he said.
A co-management committee will be accommodated under the project so that local people can be involved in the management process, he said.
“In an additional duty, we will also prepare a policy where we will say how the management will run and we have given priority to run the project like a self sustainable project,” he said.
While talking to The Daily Star, Md Rafiq Azam, principal architect of SHATOTTO and team leader of the consultants of the mega project, said in most of the playgrounds, there is no grass. While developing the playgrounds, grass will be ensured on the fields, he said.
Azam said they will also ensure different varieties of trees in the parks so that people can experience the distinctive features of all six traditional seasons simply by looking at the change of flowers like Krisnochura, Kadom, Radhachura and Bakul and so forth.
He said playgrounds do not remain in good condition as rainwater cannot recede due to a lack of drainage network.
They have a plan to improve the drainage system around the playgrounds to make sure that rainwater does not remain stagnant and hamper the playgrounds, he said.
“We will prepare the parks and playgrounds in such a way that it can be used in multiple ways,” he said.
Echoing architect Iqbal, Azam said they will involve local community and engage councillors in the maintenance programme.
“We are also making sure that the gardeners take care of the trees in the parks and around the playgrounds. And the gardeners will be appointed from those who supply tree saplings for the parks and playgrounds,” he said.
Finally, the parks and playgrounds may be handed over to a company to look after the green spaces, he said, adding that some companies had already shown interest in taking the responsibility.
But the important issue architect Rafiq has raised is to have their voice heard for three years after completion of the project, which is expected to be concluded in June next year.
“We (the seventy architects) want our voice to be heard for at least three years after completion of the project so that we can see if the project goes in the right direction…and want our instructions to be followed,” he said.
“The mayor has initially agreed to give this right to us,” he added.
Meanwhile, DSCC Additional Chief Engineer Asaduzzaman said work of rest of the parks and playgrounds will be inaugurated in November. The parks include Panthokunjo Park, Osmani Uddyan, Jagannath Saha Road Park, Hazaribagh Road Park, Nobabganj Park, Basiruddin Park, Gojmohol Park, Bakshi Bazar Park, Azimpur Shishu Park and Jorapukur Math.
Comments