Salam Park represents one of the natural elements for Riyadh City Center in Qasr Al Hokm area (Rule Palace), heart of Riyadh and its historical and heritage center that witnessed the start of march to the foundation of the modern Saudi State. This area is accommodating the mosque of Imam Turki bin Abdullah, Rule Palace and Masmak Fortress, as well as being an important Commercial Center.
Location
Location is parallel to the Rule Palace on the South, bordering King Fahad Road on the West and Tariq bin Ziad Road on the North, Salam Road on the East and Aseer Road on the South. Total area is 312 thousand square-meters. This park is established Salam famous farm land whose ownership was taken back to public utilities of the city that farm was famous for its quality dates palms. It was used to be private ownership accommodating residential palace, various service buildings and a mosque whose age is exceeding 70 years. Due to the strategic location of that farm, and the need of parks and open areas as well as green lands, and due to high population density in this area, it was decided long ago to expropriate this farm to convert it into public park that serves citizens.
Components of the Park
Salam park project is composed of different environments involving the northern part of the farm and the remaining part of date palms area, in addition to the extra date palms that counts more than one thousand. This part of the farm represents an example of the traditional farm where visitor may enjoy and benefit of palm shades where they can select places to sit without having special constructions assigned for families. This act gives the park real simulation of factual life and gives visitors freedom of choice.
One of the most prominent elements of the park which is presently developed by ArRiyadh Development Authority is the Lake on an area of 33 thousand square-meters in different depth levels. The maximum depth point is not exceeding five meters.
Quantity of lake water is estimated to be 140 thousand cubic meters. Water filling process has taken 6 weeks and water level has reached the highest level at the end of Sha'aban month. Bed of the lake is provided with layers of paved clay and insulation materials to preserve its water. Many measures and precautions were taken to ensure the continuous movement of lake water and to prevent insect and mosquito growth as well as to avoid the growth of bryophytes. These measures include lighted fountains, pumps to create continuous water current, and plantations that limit the growth of bryophytes. Lake is divided into two zones; one of them is assigned for boating and the other representing natural life that is expected to attract local and migrating birds. The lake is surrounded by 10 meter wide circled pedestrian path of one km length, to over look most of the park zones.
The project is also accommodating highlands at the center of the South Eastern part of the park, aimed to provide simulation of natural life for selected species of animals and birds living in the region. Visitors shall enter to this zone by the guidance of appointed specialists to serve visitors and introduce them to the components of such zone.
Utilities and Services of the Park
Park shall be provided by four prayer buildings, bathrooms, tickets and snacks kiosks, and three hundred car parks. The park is surrounded by a wide and safe path for walking and jogging. Water is provided to the park through water tunnel coming from King Fahad road that is purified and then pumped to the lake or to the network for irrigation.
ADA Considerations in Details
ADA has taken over the project planning, designing and execution. The main theme of the project is to provide family entertainment park with multiple environments in order to entertain visitors with enjoyments and fun through furnishing park with green lands, utilities, and children playgrounds. The park is also expected to serve the environment through the increase of green lands and the provision of green sight scenes to break building density and jammed traffic in the region. The project is also considered as a complementary and homogeneous part of ADA three-phase Development programs in (Rule Palace) area, or the other projects under the supervision of ADA such as the establishment of the Grand Court building, Civil Defense Headquarters and presently the mosque of Imam Mohammed bin Ibrahim.
Design has taken into consideration to get the advantage of the existing elements. In this context, date palms form is saved and some more trees were added to it. Initial conceptions and planning was made to benefit of the existing buildings in the park, through built-in modern styles but still it is old with unique designs and high capabilities to be converted into cultural center with many cultural activities that are recently growing.
Park design, which is dominated by green lands, took into consideration that these green lands and waterbeds should be liable to expansion and growth in the desert nature of Riyadh. This project is complementary with King Fahad Road where this park is contributing in increasing green lands on the sideways of the roads, which in turn contributes in reducing air pollution of car exhausts. The ground water system on King Fahad Road composed of around one thousand wells is providing continuous and sufficient water for irrigation and lake.
ADA was keen to provide wide range of utilities in this park that facilitate different types of entertainment for visitors such as water games, sand games, walking pathways, fountains and water fields. Furthermore, the park is providing natural simulation environments and wild life in the park.
Courtesy: www.arriyadh.com
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