Parents urge better maintenance, longer opening hours of parks

AMMAN — Eager to find suitable recreational spaces for themselves and their children, parents are urging the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) to ensure better maintenance of park facilities and open the parks for longer hours during the summer.

A recent Gallup study, conducted in cooperation with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Bloomberg, revealed that 98 per cent of Jordanians believe that creating green spaces would help reduce the impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). 

Ahmad Hassan, a father of two children who lives next to a park in Amman, shared his frustration with the state of the park’s facilities. 

“The slide in the park next to my house has been broken for over nine months now, and despite numerous complaints to the municipality, no maintenance has been done,” Hassan told The Jordan Times. According to Hassan, one of the four swings in the park is currently broke, and the seesaw does not work properly. 

Hassan said that it is “frustrating” to see children deprived of basic playground activity for such an extended period. “The lack of upkeep reflects poorly on the municipality’s commitment to providing safe and enjoyable spaces for families,” Hassan said. 

The situation has been exacerbated by the relatively early closing time of public parks, especially during the summer season, he added.

Doa’ Hajj, a mother of three, is urging GAM to enhance park maintenance, extend opening hours during the summer and establish clear and accessible channels of information, preferably on social media platforms or through a website.

“The ambiguity surrounding park schedules further adds to the frustration of families,” Hajj told The Jordan Times. Additionally, GAM’s official website lacks a comprehensive and up-to-date schedule for public park operations, Hajj added. 

“Families have to rely on random and potentially outdated announcements on social media platforms, which causes much confusion,” Hajj added. 

Despite attempts by The Jordan Times to contact GAM representatives, they were unavailable for comment.