A change in mindset is needed regarding the management and operation of Hanoi's parks.

For Hanoi to develop to its full potential as the 17th largest capital city in the world, a City for Peace, and a Creative City, the city government needs to be determined to build and develop a park system befitting such a capital. A modern park system will not only enhance the recreational needs of the people but also contribute to building a cultured, civilized, and sustainably developed capital. This was shared by architect Pham Thanh Tung, Chief of the Office of the Vietnam Association of Architects, with the Economic & Urban Newspaper.

Parks are an indispensable component in the development structure of every city. Could you briefly outline the formation and importance of the park system in the urban development of Hanoi?

- In the late 19th century, when the French began the first phase of urbanization in Hanoi and planned the city as a "garden city," they paid great attention to building parks, flower gardens, and planting trees on sidewalks. Hanoi's first park, Bach Thao Park, was built in 1890. This was an open space for scientific research, as well as for rest and relaxation (primarily for the ruling government). Along with Bach Thao Park, the area around Ho Guom Lake was also planned as an open park, with water features, walking paths, and various types of trees planted around it. In addition, interspersed within the city blocks were flower gardens such as Hang Dau Flower Garden, Con Coc Flower Garden, the flower garden in front of the Indochina Bank (now Ly Thai To Flower Garden), Pasteur Flower Garden, and Cua Nam Flower Garden...

This shows that gardens and parks play a very important role in the urban structure of Hanoi. Even after the liberation of the capital (1954), despite the economic difficulties due to the war, Hanoi still paid attention to building large parks that bore the distinct mark of the past, such as Thong Nhat Park and Thu Le Park. From the 1990s onwards, parks received less attention in terms of development.

Given their importance, what is the current quality and quantity of parks in Hanoi, sir?

Hanoi today has developed into a "robust" capital city with an area of ​​over 3,300 km2 and a population of over 8 million people. Such a large scale provides favorable conditions for the city to develop in all aspects, including the construction and development of parks and gardens. However, currently, both the quantity and quality of parks in Hanoi do not meet the requirements. Regarding quantity, we need to acknowledge that most parks were built in the period from after the liberation of the capital to before the Doi Moi (Renovation) period (1986).

From the period after the Doi Moi (Renovation) reforms until the expansion of the administrative boundaries (2008), not many large-scale parks were built by the state. In recent years, some parks have been built by large real estate investors in new urban area projects, but their main purpose is to increase real estate value and serve the needs of residents in those urban areas, rather than to serve society. While the number is still small, the quality is also a matter of concern. Large parks such as Thong Nhat, Thu Le, Bach Thao... are all deteriorating but receive little investment in maintenance. Furthermore, park land is often misused, with people encroaching on it and building houses illegally for many years without being addressed, such as Tuoi Tre Park...

So, in your opinion, what management and operational methods should be used to maximize the effectiveness of city parks?

- As I said, parks are an important part of the city and must be managed and protected by the government. However, the operation of parks to maximize their effectiveness should be entrusted to social organizations or professional investors. We can learn from the management model of Central Park in New York City, USA. A private, non-profit organization comprised of park lovers operates the park under a contract with the New York City government. They are allowed to collect fees for services within the park, using part of that money for regular maintenance and part of it to pay taxes to the government.

In Hanoi, the management and operation of parks are currently handled by state-owned entities. The management mechanisms are outdated and slow to innovate, leading to many difficulties, especially after the city's directive to remove fences and eliminate entrance fees, creating open parks for public access. Therefore, a change in mindset regarding the management and operation of parks in Hanoi is urgently needed.

However, even without fences and walls, parks are not "abandoned gardens" and still require management. This includes creating low, soft hedges with greenery, planting flowers around the perimeter, installing appropriate lighting systems, and surveillance cameras. Importantly, for parks to function effectively, in addition to the government's role, the participation of the community and socio-political organizations is crucial, and civic awareness is vital. Therefore, communication efforts should be strengthened to raise community awareness.

Since 2014, Hanoi has approved a plan for the system of green spaces, parks, gardens, and lakes in the city until 2030, with a vision to 2050. The goal is to have 60 parks in the inner city by 2030, including 18 newly built parks, 42 existing parks and gardens to be renovated and upgraded, and 7 special park areas. However, after 10 years of implementation, the number of renovated and newly built parks is insignificant. Could you analyze some of the reasons for this delay?

- The biggest benefit of parks is that they help urban areas develop sustainably, with a distinct identity in a modern and civilized direction, providing urban residents with a better living environment. However, investing in this type of project is often unprofitable, making it difficult to attract businesses. Therefore, developing parks requires significant resources and the appropriate application of government mechanisms.

Furthermore, in recent times, many land plots in various districts have been allocated to businesses for construction, such as the Kim Quy Park project in Dong Anh and the Hello Kitty Park in Tay Ho district, but all have been slow to develop. The city needs to review and inspect projects that are behind schedule or unable to be implemented according to the plan, and then revoke the land allocation or assign it to other capable investors. For large-scale projects, to attract investment, the government should take responsibility for land clearance and establish mechanisms for land allocation and leasing.

Hanoi is currently actively implementing the plan to renovate, upgrade, and build new parks and gardens in the city from 2021 to 2025. Therefore, in your opinion, what mechanisms and policies does Hanoi need to promote the completion and development of the city's green spaces, especially solutions to invest in and build recreational parks that are on par with regional and global standards?

- The area of ​​green space in general, and parks and gardens in particular, per capita in Hanoi is currently very low compared to the standard. Currently, Hanoi's green space per capita is only 2.06 m2/person, far below the national standard of 7 m2/person. Therefore, to realize the Hanoi government's goal of increasing green space to 10 m2/person by 2030, I believe a very strong political will is needed. It must be clearly recognized that parks and gardens are cultural institutions; what we are doing today is not only for the present but also for the future generations of Hanoi citizens. Therefore, special attention and appropriate resource allocation from the State are necessary.

Regarding specific solutions, in the inner city, where there is no more land available for building new parks, it is necessary to quickly green public spaces, relocate polluting industrial facilities, educational institutions, and hospitals out of the inner city to make way for green spaces, parks, and gardens. Hanoi should even consider building a forest park within a 10-kilometer radius of the Phuc Xa area on the Red River bank, building on the success of transforming a waste disposal site into a green park, as seen in Phuc Tan recently. This is an extremely valuable area for the city to utilize to develop an ecological park with multifaceted value for hundreds of years to come.

Thank you very much, sir!

13:49 23/03/2024

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/can-thay-doi-tu-duy-quan-ly-va-van-hanh-cong-vien-ha-noi.html