UAE: Major park to open in Ras Al Khaimah by year-end for more green spaces

Ras Al Khaimah is accelerating its efforts to provide residents with green, family-friendly spaces, with three public parks currently under development and four more in the planning stages. Among these initiatives is a major new park in Al Riffa, scheduled to open by the end of this year.

Spanning 720,374 square feet, Al Riffa Park is being built on the site of the old residential area and will dedicate more than 70 per cent of its land to landscaped greenery.

Mohammed Ibrahim, CEO of Arkan Engineering Consultancy, explained the vision: “The park has been designed to be open for everyone, free of charge, and safe for families. It will feature children’s playgrounds, shaded and open sports courts for football, basketball, volleyball, and tennis, as well as a skate park and dedicated jogging tracks.”

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The project includes food truck areas, retail spaces, and service buildings such as prayer rooms and restrooms. Parking for nearly 100 vehicles, including six electric vehicle charging stations, will be provided on-site. Rather than traditional fencing, the park will be bordered by a green belt of trees, ensuring safety while maintaining openness.

“In line with Ras Al Khaimah’s green building regulations, the park incorporates sustainable irrigation systems using recycled treated water, ensuring year-round greenery,” Ibrahim added. “It has been designed according to the emirate’s environmental vision, making it eco-friendly and future ready.”

Construction began around May of this year, timed to allow trees and plants to take root before the opening. The project, developed over eight months at a cost of Dh15–16 million, is expected to officially open by the end of the year.

Ali Mustafa, Operations Manager at Terra International Construction, provided further details: “We are developing more than 20,000 square meters of green spaces, with seating and varied landscaping spread across the site. The project will also feature seven service buildings, food truck areas, ramps and access routes, and ten facilities specially designed for people of determination.” He added, “Irrigation for the park’s trees and green areas will be supported by treated water from the nearby Al Rifaa treatment plant. The system will supply about 150 cubic meters of water every 24 hours, ensuring the sustainability of the greenery.”

Sustainability and community needs

Ahmed Ghanem, Project Manager at Terra, emphasised the balance of sustainability and community needs: “We ensured minimal water consumption while still providing lush landscaping. The design preserved every existing ghaf tree on the site, a species deeply rooted in Ras Al Khaimah's heritage. We created not just play areas and sports courts, but spaces for families to gather privately. This park is not only for Al Riffa residents but for everyone in Ras Al Khaimah.”

The park is designed for year-round use, with shaded seating areas, covered play zones, jogging tracks, outdoor gyms, sports courts, children’s play areas, a skate park, four prayer halls, restrooms, retail outlets, family seating zones, and a central landscaped hill that serves as a natural viewing point. It also includes sandy courts for beach volleyball, a multi-purpose rubber court for basketball, tennis, or small football, and a mini-market-style area for local entrepreneurs.

Safety and convenience have been prioritised with a comprehensive CCTV system, a public address network, a dedicated security building, and mirrored layouts of restrooms and prayer halls, ensuring that visitors don’t have to walk long distances. The park also features smaller fences around children’s play zones and extra seating areas for parents.

Ghanem noted the careful landscaping, which utilises native species such as ghaf, neem, and sidr trees, to provide natural shading for jogging tracks, cycling lanes, and seating areas. “As the park matures, it will become even cooler and greener for visitors. With shaded areas, evening lighting, and a variety of activities like cycling, jogging, skating, and outdoor games, the park will remain lively even in summer evenings,” he said. Sustainability was further supported by a 1.5-kilometer treated water pipeline, ensuring year-round greenery.

Lauren, a Ras Al Khaimah resident moving to Al Riffa, welcomed the project: “I believe the park will serve as an area to bring all generations of the Al Riffa community together. I can envisage mothers gathering for picnics as their children play in the playground, teenagers meeting up to play sports together, older couples using the track to get exercise, and families enjoying the landscaped greenery. It will be a welcoming space for both newcomers and long-time residents.”

With Al Riffa Park nearing completion and additional parks in progress, Ras Al Khaimah is positioning itself as a leader in sustainable community development, creating public spaces that enhance both lifestyle and livability.

Ras Al Khaimah one of the fastest-growing markets in the region, say real estate industry leaders Marjan's RAK Central to host 6,000 professionals, 4,000 residential units Ras Al Khaimah aims to attract 3.5 million tourists by 2030