Friday 27 December 2013

Riyadh Gov. Prince Khaled bin Bandar said here on Thursday that several tourism and recreational spots in the city's valley are on schedule and would be completed soon for local residents and visitors. Prince Khaled, accompanied by his deputy Prince Turki bin Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, inspected developments under way at the popular Wadi Hanifa Park, which attracts many holidaymakers. Speaking to reporters after the tour, Prince Khaled said the new projects in Wadi Hanifa, Wadi Batha and Wadi Nemar would provide more leisure and recreational areas for citizens and residents.

He thanked the government for generously supporting the initiatives. Located in the middle of the Najd Plateau of the Kingdom, Wadi Hanifa is the longest and most important valley near Riyadh with a natural water course covering 4,000 square km, a unique geographical feature in the dry region. The Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) has drawn up a comprehensive development strategy to transform the area into an environmental, recreational and tourism resource.

Project works so far have included the introduction of landscaping, conservation of the natural environment, enhancement of agricultural land, and the creation of an environmentally sensitive waste water treatment facility that provides additional water resources for the rural and urban inhabitants of the region. The projects under construction in the area include a 43-km road, recreation centers and artificial lakes. Ibrahim Al-Sultan, head of projects and planning at the ADA, said a water treatment system at the wadi would use water in the area throughout the year.

Prince Khaled later laid the foundation stone for the development of Wadi Batha, which is also being developed into a recreational area. He visited the dam at Wadi Nemar where a new park would be constructed on an area of 130,000 square meters. He later inspected the designs of Prince Sattam Park in Wadi Laban, covering an area of 940,000 square meters. Wadi Hanifa has become increasingly popular among Saudis and expatriate residents as a weekend picnic spot. "This is my family's first visit and I had not expected to find a natural recreational place like this in Riyadh. It's quite different from similar recreation spots. It's far from buildings and crowds," a Saudi visitor said.

© Arab News 2013