A new amusement park has opened in the garrison city, bringing various forms of indoor and outdoor entertainment for children and families.

Joy Land on Jhelum Road is an off-shoot of Ayub National Park and another project by the Army Heritage Foundation. An amusement park was previously established on the same site, but it was closed down because of negligence by civic authorities.

Since taking over Ayub Park from the Chaklala Cantonment Board, the Army Heritage Foundation has opened an amusement park there once again in order to provide entertainment facilities to the residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

The newly developed park has a number of rides and activities for visitors, from the traditional ferris wheel, pirate ship and merry-go-round to an aero shop, jumping frog, super jet and more. All the rides are imported and meet safety requirementsand standards.

One of the main features of the park is the Capital Eye ferris wheel, from the top of which the entire city is visible.

In addition to the rides, there are also various options for snacks throughout the day. In addition to entertainment, the park’s management has also tried to ensure that visitors are provided an environment that is healthy and safe for children and families.

“There are few opportunities in Rawalpindi and Islamabad for children and young people to have fun at an amusement park. It is a good addition, but the administration should ensure that the rides are safe,” Mohammad Irfan, a resident of Chaklala Scheme III, said.

He added that there had been reports in other cities of rides falling because the contractors had installed poor quality equipment. In Murree, he recalled, a chairlift malfunctioned and left people stranded for several hours.

Another concerned parent, Raja Ahmed, said the administration should keep a check on the rides at amusement parks or it would become a problem for people. he said the park should have signs stating that the administration has checked the quality of the rides and permitted then,

Defence Housing Authority resident Mohammad Suleman said such facilities are needed in Rawalpindi so children and young people can engage in positive recreational activities.

He said Ayub Park’s administration has a good record in terms of facilities provided to visitors and expressed the hope that the new venture would be safe and secure for the children.

“It was a challenge to construct on that part of the land because it was mud and slush all around and a huge water channel carrying sewerage from the adjacent population was flowing right in the middle of the park. Now it has been converted into a pipeline and the entire area is very clean,” retired Brig Zaman Nasarullah Khan Niazi, the director general of the Army Heritage Foundation, said.

He said they were working to provide the opportunity for people of all ages and all segments of society to enjoy themselves and relax, adding that they have “already converted a huge mud marsh area into a sports complex”.

“We have planted about 13,000 trees and plants in the Sarsabz-o-Shadab Pakistan campaign,” he added.

Mr Niazi said they did not compromise on the safety of people on rides and swings.

“We deputed a special team to check the swings on a daily basis before they start. We also caution visitors with safety messages inside the park and keep them away from any dangers during the rides,” he said.

He added that a food court is being constructed that will be attached to the park, and various well-known food outlets will open branches there.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2019