Kakkanad: At a time when green spaces are fast vanishing in the city, the Thrikkakara area is turning a role model by being the venue for various parks. As many as four parks have come up within a radius of two kilometres of the Collectorate.
The KTG Memorial Park near Thrikkakara Municipality, Kids City, a private park at Kuzhikkattumoola and Municipal Park near Civil Station are the major parks that are attracting people. Roughly, 100-300 people visit these parks daily to get some relief from their tense work schedules.
The Municipal Park, constructed by the Thrikkakara Municipality, located in an ideal space between two roads - one leading to Wonderla and the other to Infopark, was opened a few months ago.
“The importance of entertainment facilities such as parks is highly essential considering the busy life of IT people. These days, people feel that entertainment is also inevitable in their day-to-day schedule for stress relief. Already, we have constructed a municipal park spending over Rs one crore from the Plan Fund. The park will also be equipped with children’s playing equipment soon. A plan to launch a ‘Pazhangattuchal’ project in the Thrikkakara constituency is in the pipeline. The Pazhangattuchal area surrounding the lake will have a food court, a walk way and jogging track, community hall and a swimming pool,” said P I Mohammed Ali, chairman, Thrikkakara Municipality.
Interestingly, there is one more park ready to open for the public. The ‘Onam theme park’ being funded by the Tourism Department is all set to open in a couple of months. “A walkway of 6 to 7 feet width, benches, swing and sea-saw will come up at the park. A garden is also being set up around the park. The final beautification work of the park is going on and we are planning to open the facility within a few months,” said Thrikkakara Samskarika Kendram president Paul Mecheril.
“The demand for setting up parks in the constituency was a long-pending one as there was no other place like Changampuzha Park at Edappally for get-together, celebrating festivities or organising cultural programmes. The KTG Memorial Park and Municipal Park filled the the demand of the people. At present, people working in Infopark spend the evenings in these parks,” said Sivan, a resident of Thrikkakara.
The District Collector has also mooted a proposal to construct a children’s park at district headquarters. “We are planning to set up a park on the southern side of the Civil Station. A blueprint for the work is ready. If all goes as per plan, the park will be a reality in months,” said District Collector M G Rajamanickam.