Jumeirah Park's beach closed for two years

The beachfront along the Jumeirah Beach Park which has been closed for two years.  — KT photo by Leslie Pableo

The beachfront along the Jumeirah Beach Park has been closed for two years by the Dubai Municipality to pave way for the construction work of the Dubai Canal Project.

While the park along the seashore will remain open till the end of December, the beach was closed for visitors from Sunday, the municipality announced. Both the park and beach will reopen by the end of 2016 with added facilities, it said.

Since the beach is closed, the ladies-only day and other swimming-related activities remain suspended.

Mohammed Abdul Rahman Al Awadi, director of Public Parks and Horticulture Department said: “The closure of Jumeirah park beach comes to ensure the smooth running of the water canal project and other developmental work. The Jumeirah Park will receive visitors till the end of December.”

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Al Awadi said the stretch of Jumeirah Open Beach that begins from the mosque in Jumeirah will also have to be closed for the same purpose. However, he did not provide a timeframe.

He said the park’s beach was closed since construction work could endanger swimmers.

Dubai’s beach parks in Al Mamzar and Jumeirah receive the highest number of footfall during public holidays. The department had prolonged the closure of the beach to keep it open during the Eid holidays.

“We made ladies-only days to facilitate ladies to use the beach in privacy. Because there is no beach activity allowed, there is no need to close the park for the males now. That is why we decided to suspend the ladies-only day at the park, as well,” Al Awadi explained.

The entry to the Jumeirah Beach Park was dedicated for ladies and children on Sundays and Wednesdays. Now, male visitors can enter the park during these days as well till the park closes by year end.

Signboards and barriers will prevent beachgoers from entering the beach area.

The official said the park would be closed in stages. “We will remove the trees and relocate them to other projects. The park will be closed in phases. But, when it reopens, it will be more beautiful.”

Safa Park, another popular park in Dubai, had already seen a partial closure for the Dubai Canal Project, which will see the Dubai Creek joining the Arabian Sea through the heart of Dubai.

Al Awadi said only about 40 per cent of Safa Park would be affected due to the construction work. “We will not destroy the trees in Safa Park also. The removal and relocation of trees for using them in other projects are ongoing there,” he added.