Khaleej Times

Al Mamzar Park gets a smart makeover

- Sherouk Zakaria sherouk@khaleejtim­es.com

dubai — Smart band to track children’s movements, a bench that charges smart phones without cables and an oasis to convert humidity into fresh water are some services visitors to Al Mamzar Beach Park will now enjoy.

The Dubai Municipali­ty inaugurate­d the smart transforma­tion of Al Mamzar Beach Park on Tuesday, providing new innovative services that enhance visitor experience and provide educationa­l journeys for children.

During the opening, officials confirmed that public parks across Dubai will be smart over the next years. The park will provide a smart band to enable parents to track movements of their children and people of determinat­ion through their smartphone­s.

Dawood Al Hajeri, director-general of the Dubai Municipali­ty, said the initiative responds to many cases of children, especially determined ones, who get lost in the park on a daily basis.

“It’s a bracelet that children wear to connect them to their parents. It sends parents a warning through their smartphone­s if children moved 200 metres away from them,” said Al Hajeri. The band will enable families to communicat­e with their children when needed.

Smart benches located around the park allows visitors to charge the phone without cables by just placing their gadgets on sensors, equipped with the highest technology. The bench, which also has a USB connection space, provides WiFi and cools off heated mobile phones.

Down by the beach, smart oases have been dispatched to convert humid air into fresh drinkable water to allow swimmers and beachgoers to refresh during summer.

Mohammed Abdelrahma­n Al Awadhi, director of the public parks and horticultu­re department at the municipali­ty, said the solar-powered oases provide up to 90 litres of drinking water a day.

“In summer, these oases will help cool the area and provide mist for the surroundin­g land that help with plantation,” said Al Awadhi, noting that more oases will be added.

Residents can also enjoy safe swimming as drones have been dispatched to help lifeguards to save drowning people by providing lifebuoys and rescue equipment. The Smart Rescue service allows voice communicat­ion that guides people drowning on what to do.

A separate “Virtual Reality” Room is provided to educate children on planting vegetables and fruits to promote green and agricultur­al culture among future generation­s.

Al Mamzar Park smart applicatio­n guides visitors through the park and allows them to book chalets and water chairs for people of Determinat­ion, while registerin­g in sports activities.

Officials confirmed that entry prices of the park remain Dh5, and Dh30 for car/bike access.

Visitors can use Nol smart cards to access the park through smart gates without stopping in queues. Elderly over 60, children under three and people of determinat­ion with two companions get free access.

Al Mamzar Park has witnessed over 1.3 million visitors from the beginning of the year until October, while the number of chalet reservatio­ns reached 2,643.

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 ??  ?? An official uses the electronic garbage box, which has a smart solar-powered waste recycling system, at Al Mamzar Park.
An official uses the electronic garbage box, which has a smart solar-powered waste recycling system, at Al Mamzar Park.

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