Few playgrounds and play areas result in ‘turf wars’ in most neighbourhoods

Every weekend quite a few ‘turf wars' are worked off as groups of children from same schools or different schools and groups of youth and adults from different nationalities vie for a space to carve out their ‘play areas' on deserted car parks.

Be it the large parking area opposite the FNC near the Corniche, or the large open spaces in the industrial suburb of Mussafah, it is an unwritten law of ‘first come first served' that prevails though in certain areas it is a bit organised where a winning team sticks.

A tour of most of the residential districts of the capital throws up a stark fact that there are hardly any playgrounds or play areas (barring parks) large enough for residents and their children to practise or play any form of organised sport.

Inside the city the two big clubs are Al Wahda Sports and Cultural Club and the Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club but both cater to the UAE nationals. With most of the schools also not giving enough priority for outdoor sport either due to lack or facilities or hampered by the lack of extra transport facilities, children are deprived of playing proper sport.

Though hotels, recreation clubs and few academies in sports like tennis, football and cricket do chip in with their bit (at of course a fair amount of fees), the larger population of children and sport-minded adults say there is a lack of play areas in the city.

Abu Dhabi does have a fair share of parks but children with studded football boots or spiked cricket shoes are not allowed to destroy the grass surfaces which make them along with the spectacular Abu Dhabi Corniche a perfect venue for walks, jogging and cycling.

Larger requirement

But the larger requirement of a play ground where all can play some sort of team sport seems to be missing, according to the residents.

School children who are allowed to be on their own form their own groups and on Saturdays get to travel to large parking areas in front of government departments and oil companies and capture their playing area for the day. But on Fridays a large number of adults are also out to play and they take centre stage on the paved parking lots.

The younger and smaller kids, supervised by their parents or nannies, are left to play either football or cricket in small areas adjoining their buildings - a common sight throughout the city.

Bulletins from the World Health Organisations warn that childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. Elders often complain of how the TV and indoor electronic gadgets like the PSPs and X-Boxes have kept their kids indoors. One of the main solutions to both these problems is outdoor sport and physical activity. But where are the play grounds?

Video: Nowhere to play

Youth in Abu Dhabi have resorted to playing recreational sports in parking lots due to a lack of public facilities.