Families unwind at a public park. PICTURE: Jayaram
By Ayman Adly/Staff Reporter

More shaded areas, parking lots, toilets and cycling tracks are the major demands of Doha residents who visit public parks in greater numbers to shake off winter chill.
Families usually prefer to enjoy their weekends in open air public parks and those by the Corniche are among the most preferred locations.
Though there is almost a public consensus that such places provide the much needed relaxation after a week’s load of work, there is a constant grievance that more services are needed.
The brighter side is that the grievance has not gone unheeded and there are remarkable efforts being undertaken by the authorities to introduce more services.
The majority of visitors admit that there are practical improvements of the services. However, they also believe that as the number of the inhabitants in the country has increased substantially in the recent years, there should be timely steps to provide for their recreation.
“Because a lot of people have limited income and would not be able to pay for entertainment, public parks offer a welcome relief for them,” pointed out a Lebanese health worker.
He said that it is necessary for well being and good for the economy to allow people free access to well-equipped entertainment facilities such as
public parks. 
“I’ve been going to the Corniche for many years, and I see that it has improved considerably,” an expatriate woman said. “I can jog here and the children enjoy the games available. Yet, the place needs more toilets and may be more automatic vending machines at different points would make things easier,” she added.
Some others also suggested more shaded areas other than the shade of trees in such places. When it rains, visitors of these parks have to hurry back to their cars.
A young man said that the public parks could be ideal for cycling. “But, a track for bicycles is usually non-existent in most places though it should be an essential component of such venues. I believe that public parks can be very instrumental in promoting cycling and encourage people to improve fitness,” he said.
However, some families even avoid going to public parks during weekends because of the crowds and lack of adequate parking areas. “We prefer to go out on weekdays. Instead of going around looking for a parking, we usually opt for home entertainment and postpone the outing for a suitable weekday,” said an expatriate Syrian.
However, most people said it is normal to experience crowds during weekends and did not mind the difficulty of finding a suitable and timely parking. “The places are free and good, and it is not a big deal to bear a little inconvenience for a well deserved relaxation,” a Qatari added.
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