More public spaces for a greener Hanoi

According to the Hanoi Municipal People's Committee, 30 parks and flower gardens will be renovated by the end of 2024. So far, half of the work has been completed, with 14 flower gardens completed and beautified, of which Ba Dinh District has the highest number of completed projects with six.

The lush green space of Yen So Park in Hoang Mai District, Hanoi. Photo: Duc Hoan

Meeting the demand for green spaces

As well as repairing degraded areas, Hanoi's parks and gardens are being given a new look with lush greenery.

Nguyen Anh Tuan, a resident of Cua Nam Ward, Hoan Kiem District, told The Hanoi Times that the Cua Nam Flower Garden was in really bad condition, lacking plants and unhygienic. "After it was decorated and more flowers were planted, it attracted a large number of children and elderly people, especially in summer," he said.

Earlier this year, the Cua Nam Flower Garden was completely renovated with an art project. People passing by the flower garden these days are fascinated to see a collection of French colonial posters and murals.

In particular, an antiquated poster advertising Goodyear car tyres and Evian-Cachat bottled water has survived thanks to a fortuitous shield - the community house built next to the wall. It was not until early 2023, when the Cua Nam District People's Committee cleared the site for the construction of an traffic island, that the secret was revealed.

A copy of the silk painting entitled Spring Flower Market by the late painter Luong Xuan Nhi (1914-2006) on one side of the Cua Nam Electricity Substation in the Cua Nam Flower Garden. Photo: Jenna

According to the Hoan Kiem District People's Committee, the district will soon commission the District Construction Investment Project Management Board to continue the overall renovation of the Cua Nam Flower Garden to make it more pleasing to the people.

Improvements to the Flower Garden include paving the walkways with appropriate materials, planting more grass and trees, and providing a consistent level of urban furniture such as litter bins, benches and lighting.

Meanwhile, Tuoc Dao, a resident living near Thanh Xuan Park in Cau Giay District, said he was pleased to see the park's new look. "The sidewalk that people used to encroach on has been cleared, so the landscape here is much nicer than before," he said.

"It is interesting to note that many bends and flower trellises have been installed along the pavement on Khuat Duy Tien Street. They not only provide comfort to residents, but also help to improve Hanoi's image as a friendly and hospitable capital of Vietnam," he added.

People jog in Thanh Xuan Park, Cau Giay district. Photo: Thu Tra

Building more parks

Green spaces are considered the 'lungs of the city'. Hanoi's flower gardens and parks are not only natural air conditioners and essential parts of the urban landscape, but also important attractions that attract domestic and international visitors.

Currently, Hanoi is addressing shortcomings to speed up the construction of nine new parks covering a total of 320 hectares.

The most notable of these is the CV1 Reservoir Park in Cau Giay and Nam Tu Liem districts. This nearly 30-hectare project, with its huge water surface and extensive green areas, is expected to become the "green lung" of the residential area in the west of Hanoi. The park is scheduled to be inaugurated at the end of this year to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the capital's liberation on October 10, 1954.

According to architect Doan Minh Khoi, Director of the Institute of Urban Planning and Architecture at Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, building more public works can help the city develop in a greener and more sustainable direction.

The newly built Hanoi Children's Palace inside the CV1 Reservoir Park in Cau Giay and Nam Tu Liem Districts. Photo: Hanoi News

"However, compared to the standards, the percentage of land for parks in Hanoi remains low, only about two square meters per person, which is only 1/10 of the green tree area norm in the world's advanced cities," he said.

"Hanoi needs to renovate and build new parks to ensure an average tree cover of six to seven square meters per person. The authorities also need to ensure that ongoing park projects are properly completed," he added.

Other parks and community spaces to be completed in the near future include Chu Van An Memorial Park in Hanoi's suburban Thanh Tri District; Duong Noi Astronomy Park in Ha Dong District; Dong Da Park in Dong Da District; Kim Quy Culture, Tourism and Entertainment Park in Dong Anh District; Huu Nghi Park in Bac Tu Liem District; and Mai Dich Reservoir Park in Cau Giay and Nam Tu Liem Districts.

At present, Hanoi has 63 parks and flower gardens, covering a total area of about 300 hectares, accounting for 2% of the total land area. Among them, four central districts of Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, Dong Da and Hai Ba Trung have 30 parks and flower gardens, accounting for 1.92% of the total land area, reaching a ratio of 2.08 square meters per person.