A feeling of sadness and anger overwhelms me every time I see a public garden or open space in Jeddah suddenly disappearing for the sake of high-rise buildings. Faceless concrete constructions are slowly strangling the city, denying its residents a breath of fresh air and its children a place to play.
The assault comes at a time when scientists and environmentalists are warning that a major disaster could engulf our planet if the rapid disappearance of green areas continues at the present rate. It is no secret that Jeddah is threatened with an environmental disaster that has prompted both scientists and academics to raise the alarm.
The media keeps writing about the problems resulting from the lack of a proper and efficient sewage and drainage system. Experts have been emphasizing the need to maintain the ecological balance by providing cities with more green lungs at a time when they are plagued by rising levels of pollution from industry, cars and an increasing population.
The latest casualty in this war has been the main public garden at Al-Jamaa district opposite King Abdul Aziz University. In its place are apartment buildings and shops. The area was originally a slum, and its inhabitants were compensated by the government and moved to other areas in order to expand the land allocated to the university.
But the university did not use the land and donated the 50,000 sq. m plot to the municipality for use as a public park. It was one of the most frequented parks in Jeddah; it took no money from visitors and attracted large numbers of people, especially those who could not afford the high prices charged by other recreational facilities. Residents are watching helplessly as their happy memories are buried under rumbling bulldozers and huge lorries.
