Developing amusement parks and greenery is always a matter of concern for local authorities. People’s councils make a lot of promises and often propose many park and flower garden development projects.

However, the situation has not improved much. The city in recent years has some new parks, including Cau Giay and Thanh Xuan, but they cannot satisfy demand which has been increasing as a result of the sharp rise in population in core areas.

Meanwhile, older parks such as Thu Le, Thong Nhat, Yen So, Bach Thao and Tuoi Tre Thu Do have degraded with many items left unused.

Dong Da Park project in Dong Da district, where the population density is the highest in the city, has been pending for the last 20 years.

In suburban areas, 14 years after Ha Tay province and Me Linh district merged with Hanoi, there is no new big amusement park in the entire large rural area in the western and northern side of the Red River. 

The well-known Astronomy Park in Duong Noi has been left abandoned since construction was completed. Thanh Ha Water Park in Ha Dong had construction work violating regulations. The 101-hectare Kim Quy Park project in Dong Anh has been going slowly because of problems in site clearance.

The only ‘bright spot’ in the western part of Hanoi is Bao Son Paradise Park. The work opened to visitors prior to August 1, 2008, when Ha Tay province merged with Hanoi.

The areas programmed to be developed as green belts or reserved for ecological urban areas in the city's overall development plan by 2030 have also been left undeveloped. The areas have even become smaller because of the development of real estate projects.

Analysts say that real estate projects arose in the middle of green corridor areas in Soc Son, Ba Vi, Thach That and Quoc Oai.

The land lots for sale have clearly threatened the green areas of the capital city. It is necessary to put a brake on this tendency before it becomes rampant.

Some experts and greenery development companies for many years have been dreaming of ‘forests on streets’. But multistory buildings, semi-attached villas and concrete yards have risen while greenery areas have shrunk.

In the latest move, Hanoi authorities have promised to build six new parks and upgrade some existing parks in the inner city.

But what Hanoians expect is not just another vain promise. They hope the plan will come true, not just remain on paper.

It is time to attach importance to green areas, and consider parks and flower gardens as a compulsory urban development index to create a harmonious and balanced space in Hanoi. This fits the view of developing a capital city that is ‘green, civilized and modern’ as shown in the capital city master development plan by 2030, with a vision towards 2050.

Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi, answering inquiries before the National Assembly on November 4, 2022, spent time talking about the lack of parks in Hanoi.

He said urban development plans all satisfy the criteria about the minimum greenery area for public use. However, in reality, urban greenery areas do not satisfy requirements.

Hanoi, for example, has a greenery area of 2 sq m per head, while the required greenery area in first-class and special cities is at least 6-7 sq m per head.

Nghi said that the Ministry of Construction (MOC) has not been serious in urging localities to strictly comply with planning on greenery development. The ministry has not inspected and corrected adjustments of plans which affect land planning for parks and flower gardens.

Ministries and branches plan to improve park management and issue sanctions on investors who don’t reserve land for greenery.

Minh Khue