Hanoi’s parks encroached
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The construction of new buildings was shrinking the amount of green space available. |
VietNamNet Bridge – Hanoi has many parks but they are not used properly. Many parks are not being used like parks, said Dr. Nguyen The Ba, Chairman of the Vietnam Urban Development Planning Association.
Speaking at the workshop on useful use of flower gardens and parks in Hanoi on March 17, Ba said that Hanoi’s green space is being narrowed. Parks are public space for entertainment and relax but most of them are not used as parks.
In the past ten years, Hanoi’s tree area reduced, from 1.95 square metres per person in 1998 to 0.9sq.m per person at present. The tree area in Dong Da and Gia Lam district is only 0.05sq.m per person on average, said Dr. Huynh Dang Hy, the Secretary General of the Vietnam Urban Development Planning Association.
Many parks are being encroached by construction works, such as the SAS hotel project in the Thong Nhat Park while Yen So Park lost 90 hectares of land for residential area.
Hy didn’t agree with the view that considers park as public work, as in the case of SAS Hotel.
Dr. Dang Hung Vo analyzed that “land for building hotels is land for business, which yields profit. It is different from public land like roads, hospitals, parks and schools, which only collect small fees.”
VietNamNet/TP
