Coronavirus: more parks to reopen in Dubai on Monday

The emirate is taking a phased approach, with some neighbourhood parks opening on May 18 and others on May 25

A Tadweer sanitary worker sprays a play area at the Family Park on the Corniche with disinfectants to counter the spread of the coronavirus. Victor Besa / The National

A municipal worker walks in a closed park in Jumeirah with his face covered. Antonie Robertson / The National

A park is closed off with red and white tape in Town Square, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A sign at Al Barsha Park shows the new rules for the Covid-19 pandemic. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A Tadweer sanitary worker sprays the Family Park at the Corniche with disinfectants to counter the spread of the coronavirus. Victor Besa / The National

A sign at Al Quoz Pond Park displays new rules. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A cordoned off park to keep residents safe from the Coronavirus at Al Falah Street, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Town Square park in Dubai is closed. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A man walks past a closed park on the corniche in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A man wearing a facemask runs past a closed park in Al Ain. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Dozens of parks will reopen in Dubai on Monday.

The emirate closed all public open spaces in the middle of March to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Last week, officials from the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management announced public parks would welcome visitors again.

But only a handful reopened in the following days, alongside walking, running and cycling tracks across the city.

Authorities have now said that the emirate will restore full park services in “gradual and successive phases”.

Seventy neighbourhood parks will welcome visitors from Monday, followed by Mushrif, Al Mamzar, Al Khor, Zabeel and Al Safa parks in the last phase on May 25. Here, The National breaks down the phases.

First phase, from May 12-18. 

Tracks will open at:

- Zabeel

- Al Safa

- Al Barsha South

- Al Sufouh

- Al Mankhool

- Al Liseily

Parks will open at:

- Nad Al Sheba-2 parks

- Al Worood in Nad Al Sheba-4

- Al Twar 2 and 3 parks

- Mosque Park

- Al Mizhar-1, 2 and 4

- Al Qusais 2 and 3

- Nadd Al Hamr Park

- Al Warqaa-2 Park

Second phase, from May 18.

70 parks will open, including:

- neighborhood parks

- Miracle Cave

- Glasshouse in Quranic Park

Third and final phase.

Larger parks will open, including:

- Mushrif Park

- Al Mamzar Park

- Al Khor Park

- Zabeel Park

- Al Safa Park

Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said parks would only reopen after authorities were able to study the latest data on the spread of Covid-19.

He said the benefits of reopening gradually included the ability to continuously measure and assess the situation, ensuring any risk of a spike in infections was minimised.