Chencho Dema

Punakha—All scattered around the park, Parents and guardians keep a watchful eye on their children, their faces reflecting the joy and contentment of a peaceful weekend outing at the recreational park in Khuruthang town, Punakha.

The park, the only recreational space in the area, has been a long-awaited retreat for families. It is equipped with brightly colored play structures like slides, a climbing frame and a multi play station.

Recently reopened after extensive renovations starting in May last year, the park, which covers 1.4 acres, now boasts new facilities and a renovated open gym.

The park and the open gym, built at a cost of Nu 2.6 million,  was never renovated after it was inaugurated in 2015. All it had , before the renovation, was  twisted slide, two swings, and a nonfunctional seesaw with a damaged open gym on the side.

Four new facilities, including a rope climber, two sets of seesaws, two sets of multi-play station, and two additional swings were added. The central area has two oval-shaped gazebos for parents to relax.

The 308-meter perimeter of the playground is enclosed with chain-link fencing and a secure gate, enhancing safety by preventing children from wandering off. This provides parents with peace of mind regarding their children’s safety while they play.

While most parents expressed their joy and satisfaction with the new amenities, a few suggested adding more equipment to avoid long waits and disputes among the children.

A mother of two shared her experience, noting that the park is crowded on weekends with children eager to play, sometimes leading to minor scuffles over turns.

A 45-year-old father, enjoying the park with his daughter, appreciated the renovations but agreed that additional facilities would further enhance the experience for the increasing number of visitors.

He said, “With the increasing number of children coming to the park, especially in the evenings and on weekends, I feel that if the concerned authorities could add a few more facilities, it would be beneficial. The park is spacious enough to accommodate additional amenities.”

Tobgay, an engineer at the Khuruthang Regional Engineering Cluster said the Dzongkhag acknowledges the importance of the recreational facility as it is the only one in the vicinity. The renovation cost Nu 3 million.

More facilities like additional toilets and handwashing facilities, waste bins, and an effective operation and management system are planned.

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