JEDDAH, 8 March 2008 -- Saleh Al-Majrashi, 15, lives in Al-Thaalbah area in the south of Jeddah. The boy and his peers have gone through a lot of behavioral and physical development after the establishment of a privately-donated public sports park in their district.
"There has been a noticeable decrease in aggression and a development in behavior among the youngsters in the area after the establishment of the Faisal Sports Park," said Yahya Madani, senior resident of Al-Thaalbah area.
Madani and many other residents agreed that the district's situation has improved after the establishment of the park, which was donated last year by the Zahid family in remembrance of their late son, Faisal Mohammed Zahid.
Madani said that the young ones used to form groups and gangs and cause problems. "Previously, with the lack of playgrounds soccer or basketball, kids often fought for a place in the few empty lands to play, but now they have a sense of belonging and sharing that was sparked by the park," he said.
Al-Majrashi, who is in his first year of high school, said that there used to be fights over the only viable space in the neighborhood where they could play soccer: a dusty, empty lot. "Sometimes older kids would come and chase us away so they could play," he said.
"If you wanted to play soccer before you had to be prepared for a fight," said Salem Abdou, an 18-year-old Yemeni resident of the neighborhood.
Saeed Al-Muhsin, a student at the nearby Sulaiman Ibn Abdulmalik High School, said that the park has not only increased play areas, but also engenders a spirit of cooperation. The park's management organizes schedules for the use of the soccer pitches, for example.
"When aggression becomes a necessity to earn a place, it becomes general behavior," said Al-Muhsin. "Young people, especially in poorer areas, need to feel that they are responsible, and projects like this certainly fulfill that need."
In a previous interview, the Jeddah Municipality has revealed that it has reserved 50 undeveloped plots of land around the city to become public parks and is calling on local philanthropists to sponsor and fund the development of public spaces.
The lands, worth an estimated SR30 million, are being developed with the help of private investors willing to sponsor the development of parks as a philanthropic contribution to the city, said Ashraf Al-Turki, who heads the municipality's public-space development efforts.
By Hasan Hatrash
© Arab News 2008
