UAE residents mourn loss of beloved Business Bay park; developer assures amenities will be relocated

For nearly a decade, a sprawling park has served as a green oasis amid the concrete jungle for residents of The Executive Towers community in Business Bay. Now, however, it has been demolished to make way for a new building and residents are mourning the once-treasured space.

The 102,675sqft park featured a children's play area, a skate park, and a running track, and was a popular venue for farmers' markets and movie nights.

Residents have been voicing their concerns about the loss of a vital gathering spot and recreational area for families. "They say that the park will be relocated, but they didn't specify where,” said one community member who didn’t wish to be named.

Kanhaiya Rathi, a long-time resident, expressed her sadness over the park's closure, emphasising its significance as a popular place for community activities and social interactions. Pritam Bamane, another resident, described it as an integral part of their daily lives.

Here's the scene now at the community's favourite spot:

Executive Towers, comprising 12 high-rises, serves as a home to around 25,000 people of diverse nationalities. The community enjoys downtown living at its best, partly due to the nearby Bay Avenue, a two-storey retail promenade with several convenience stores, supermarkets, and spas. A major attraction here was the park that opened in February 2014.

Vandana Chari, an owner and resident, lamented: "We chose Executive Towers for its green oasis and gentle jogging track, which was perfect for our well-being.” Navin Chokhani, a property owner, said the sudden barricading and demolition left residents uninformed and shocked. Vaibhav Soumaya, who recently purchased property in the community, made a heartfelt appeal to the developer to preserve the park area, jogging track, and skate area.

In response to residents, Dubai Properties, the property developer responsible for the area, issued a statement to Khaleej Times. They clarified that the plot adjacent to the Executive Towers has always been zoned as a development plot and not a common area.

“In order to prevent the unsightly appearance of a development site in an otherwise developed community, Dubai Properties landscaped the area for the comfort of residents and installed playground amenities, whilst the plot remained vacant.

"We want to reassure our residents that the original common areas and amenities allocated for the Executive Towers master community are still intact. Dubai Properties has not reduced the designated amenities or common areas available to the residents,” Dubai Properties said.

They also promised to relocate the playground amenities to ensure continued utilisation by families.

“As the plot is now being developed, the area has been barricaded for construction, and the playground amenities will be relocated to ensure that residents and their families can continue to utilise them,” Dubai Properties said.

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