Safa Park
Encyclopedia
Safa Park is a 64 hectare (158.147 acre) urban park
located in Dubai
, United Arab Emirates
. It is 10.53 km (6.60 mi) southwest of the traditional center of Dubai along Sheikh Zayed Road
. The park is bordered by Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Wasl Road, Al Hadiqa Street, and 55th Street.
Created in 1975, Safa Park was located on the outskirts of Dubai. Prior to its creation, the area was inhabited by illegal immigrants from South Asia
. They lived in makeshift homes without running water. The Dubai government turned its head from these illegal immigrants due to the need for their labor. The immigrants were later given amnesty and expelled from the immediate area for the creation of the park.
After being a destination for Dubai's residents for nine years, the park went under redevelopment in 1984. Another redevelopment occurred between 1989 and 1992. The first redevelopment included the addition of sanitary utilities and an indoor playground. The latter development delivered recreational and service facilities to the park. Today Safa Park is almost in the center of the city and only 3.05 km (1.90 mi) from the Burj Khalifa, 5.06 km (3.14 mi) from the Emirates Towers
, and 6.27 km (3.90 mi) from the Dubai World Trade Centre
. Due to Dubai's rapid growth, skyscraper
s are now approaching the park's doorstep.
The park contains three lakes, over 200 species of birds, and 16,924 different trees and bushes. Within the park, one can find grassy lawns (which cover 80% of the whole park), a little forest, and a hill to offer panoramic views of the park. A waterfall flows out of the hill and into the largest lake which contains a fountain and touring boats.
There are four entrances to the park, one from each road that borders it.
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
located in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. It is 10.53 km (6.60 mi) southwest of the traditional center of Dubai along Sheikh Zayed Road
Sheikh Zayed Road
E 11 is a highway in the United Arab Emirates. The longest road in the UAE, E 11 streches from Al Silah in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and ends in Ras Al Khaimah emirate at the Oman border, running roughly parallel to UAE's coastline along the Persian Gulf...
. The park is bordered by Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Wasl Road, Al Hadiqa Street, and 55th Street.
Created in 1975, Safa Park was located on the outskirts of Dubai. Prior to its creation, the area was inhabited by illegal immigrants from South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
. They lived in makeshift homes without running water. The Dubai government turned its head from these illegal immigrants due to the need for their labor. The immigrants were later given amnesty and expelled from the immediate area for the creation of the park.
After being a destination for Dubai's residents for nine years, the park went under redevelopment in 1984. Another redevelopment occurred between 1989 and 1992. The first redevelopment included the addition of sanitary utilities and an indoor playground. The latter development delivered recreational and service facilities to the park. Today Safa Park is almost in the center of the city and only 3.05 km (1.90 mi) from the Burj Khalifa, 5.06 km (3.14 mi) from the Emirates Towers
Emirates Towers
The Emirates Towers complex contains the Emirates Office Tower and Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel. The two towers, which rise to and , respectively, stand as the 12th- and 29th-tallest buildings in the world. The two towers are connected by a 9,000 m² two-storey retail complex known as "The...
, and 6.27 km (3.90 mi) from the Dubai World Trade Centre
Dubai World Trade Centre
The Dubai World Trade Centre is a business complex in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, built by H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. It is located along Sheikh Zayed Road at the Trade Centre Roundabout...
. Due to Dubai's rapid growth, skyscraper
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
s are now approaching the park's doorstep.
The park contains three lakes, over 200 species of birds, and 16,924 different trees and bushes. Within the park, one can find grassy lawns (which cover 80% of the whole park), a little forest, and a hill to offer panoramic views of the park. A waterfall flows out of the hill and into the largest lake which contains a fountain and touring boats.
There are four entrances to the park, one from each road that borders it.