RIYADH: Construction of three major parks in Riyadh’s Al-Qadisiyah, Al-Rimal and Al-Munsiyah neighborhoods has surpassed 85 percent completion as part of the Green Riyadh program, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The parks, being developed under the supervision of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, will feature sports courts, fitness areas, water-play facilities, cycling paths and skating tracks, providing residents with a range of recreational activities. Landscaping plans for the three parks include planting more than 585,000 trees and shrubs, alongside ground-cover vegetation aimed at expanding green spaces across the capital. The projects also aim to improve air quality, reduce the effects of high temperatures and enhance residents’ quality of life. The three parks, which began construction in 2024, span more than 550,000 sq. meters, with green spaces accounting for 65 percent of their total area. According to earlier project plans, they will include 18 km of walking trails, 8 km of running tracks, 8.5 km of cycling paths and 22 children’s play areas. The developments form part of a wider expansion of recreational spaces across Riyadh. In an update on Oct. 13, the Royal Commission for Riyadh City said work was underway on more than 250 neighborhood parks, with plans to develop over 1,500 additional parks. Launched in 2019 as one of Riyadh’s four major development projects, Green Riyadh aims to plant more than 7.5 million trees by 2030. The initiative also seeks to increase green space per resident from 1.7 sq. meters to 28 sq. meters and expand vegetation coverage from 1.5 percent to 9 percent of the city’s total area. According to the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, more than 4.5 million trees have already been planted toward the 2030 target.