Residents of Al-Dubbat district in the Saudi capital were saddened when their old park was demolished but their spirits rose at the prospect of the construction of a new one at the same site which started some time back.

However, the delay in the work has led to many voicing their feelings and need for a new park.

“We are eagerly awaiting for the construction work in the park to be completed so that our children can play among the green trees again,” said a resident.

Although the concrete floor has not been fully laid yet, Saudi children can be seen playing soccer at night and their cries of joy can be heard deep into the night.

“This is the difference between the old and the new park. In the old park, families could be seen passing the time as the night wore on. In the new park, children can play soccer,” another resident said.

Residents also use the park for jogging after knocking off from work in the evenings. Employees of a nearby Arabic restaurant are often seen at the park wearing off the fatigue of the day’s work.

“It’s normal to see us jogging until the wee hours of the dawn and to keep ourselves physically fit and maintain good health,” one of them said.

They are of various nationalities — Bangladeshi, Filipino, Egyptian, among others who say that it’s one way of fighting off homesickness.

“Being away from loved ones is not easy so we should keep

ourselves busy. But we should indulge in activities that are meaningful like keeping in good health,” said a Filipino who works as a supervisor at the restaurant.

Besides the children playing soccer or joggers, there are also senior citizens who walk around the park for physical fitness.

“I walk at different times between midnight and 2 a.m., to regulate my blood circulation. I have been advised by my doctor to take up brisk walking,” said an Arab national who works at the Riyadh Chamber.

He said that by doing so he hopes to add several more years to his life.

“I hope, however, that the park will be completed soon so that it would be more enjoyable to pass our leisure time here. I also hope that there will be more trees with birds chirping in the branches,” he said.

A resident in the area said that insufficient funds may be a reason for the delayed work. “The municipality has funds allocated for similar projects. Probably this project is being sponsored by a philanthropist who has run out of money,” said another senior citizen.