DCD in Collaboration with Abu Dhabi Sports Council Launches Active Parks Initiative to Foster Healthier Lifestyle in Abu Dhabi

The Department of Community Development (DCD) in Abu Dhabi in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Sports Council along with the municipalities of Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain city, and Al Dhafrah region, and Community Management Department – Al Dhafrah Region Affairs (ADNOC) will launch  ‘Active Parks’, a brand-new community fitness programme designed to encourage citizens and residents to participate in regular exercise and pursue active, outdoor lifestyles by leveraging the Emirate’s diverse array of public parks and urban green space in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra.

Active Parks initiative is central to DCD’s ongoing efforts to promote sports and physical activity across the community. Running December 30^th to 26^th January in 12 parks and urban spaces across the Emirate, the four-week fitness participation and educational programme will see dozens of qualified instructors lead communities through more than 380 free-to-attend sessions for anyone aged 15-years-old and above.

H.E Mohamed Helal Al Balooshi Executive Director of the Strategic Affairs Office at DCD, said: “In line with Abu Dhabi’s vision to build and nurture an active community committed to practicing sports, DCD and Abu Dhabi Sports Council are actively cooperating to foster an expansive and fully-regulated sports ecosystem across the Emirate. Our newest collaborative initiative, Active Parks, is a strategic platform which aims to cultivate healthier and happier lifestyles and stronger social communities by encouraging the pursuit of regular fitness regimes in the abundant green spaces in Abu Dhabi’s world-class integrated infrastructure.”

H.E. Talal Mustafa AL Hashemi, Executive Director of Sports Developments Sector at Abu Dhabi Sports Council, added: “The Active Parks programme is an inclusive initiative that is open to everyone in the community. The objective is to increase regular exercise by providing structured free-to-attend classes led by a team of qualified coaches. We do not want people to feel out of place, or overly conscious, which is why we are rolling out a dedicated schedule of activities to cater for a range of abilities across parks in their own communities.”

During the month-long Active Parks programme, communities will be able to access a wide range of fun and healthy activities including DanceFit, RunFit, Bootcamps, CrossFit, and Yoga, with special classes for People of Determination. A full schedule of classes is available on the Active Parks website (www.addcd.gov.ae), while participants can share their progress by using #ActiveParks on social media.

Active Parks will run across a dozen parks and urban spaces, including Madinat Zayed, Al Ruwais Park 2 and Al Mirfa National Park in Al Dhafra Region; Al Jahili and Al Towayya Parks in Al Ain city; and Khalifa City Park 3, Sheikha Fatima Park, Dolphin Park, MBZ Park, Al Khaleej Al Arabi park, Electra Park and Al Shamkha Park 4 in Abu Dhabi city and surrounding areas.

With Active Parks leveraging the Emirate’s array of community parks and urban infrastructure investments, the progressive initiative underlines the Government of Abu Dhabi’s commitment to promote active lifestyles and healthy habits in line with World Health Organisation Guidelines, which encourage adults to engage in a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity every week to improve mental and physical wellbeing.