In the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), the appearance of Ho Chi Minh City changes, with empty, dusty plots of land being replaced by vibrant parks, flower gardens, and lively public spaces.
In accordance with the policy of the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee on investing in upgrading and improving urban infrastructure, urban beautification projects have been and are being urgently completed, preparing to be put into service for the people during the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, contributing to building a more civilized, modern, and distinctive city.
Prioritize urban renovation .
About a month ago, the land where the Phan Dinh Phung Gymnasium was located at 8 Vo Van Tan Street, Xuan Hoa Ward, was a vacant plot surrounded by a corrugated iron fence, overgrown with weeds, causing many passersby to feel regret.
Following directives from the City Party Committee and the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, the fence was dismantled within approximately 20 days, revealing vibrant flower pots, lush green trees, and clean stone-paved walkways. The area has been transformed, from a desolate wasteland into a vibrant park and public space.
As the chosen contractor and sponsor to transform this land into a flower garden, Mr. Bui Quang Anh Vu, General Director of Phat Dat Real Estate Development Joint Stock Company, shared that Phan Dinh Phung Stadium is a location with a special position, situated in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, where every square meter of land holds value not only economically , but also in terms of memory, history, and the spiritual life of the people.
"The project was implemented at the highest speed, with continuous construction and strict quality control of each item, so that it could be completed and handed over nearly two weeks ahead of the original plan to serve the people," Mr. Vu said.
Not only does the city transform vacant land into parks and gardens, but it also focuses on renovating and giving a "new look" to old buildings, making them vibrant and rich in character.
One of the recently renovated areas is the Ben Thanh Market and Turtle Lake area, which was supported by Khang Dien Investment and Business Corporation.
According to Ms. Nguyen Thuy Duong, Deputy General Director of Khang Dien Investment and Business Company, in early 2026, the company began renovating the square in front of Ben Thanh Market, the area around Turtle Lake, Ben Thanh Market, the Railway building, and several central streets. The company considers urban renovation a duty and responsibility to society.
In the central area and the surrounding wards and communes, residents are witnessing a transformation in their living spaces. Plots of land that had been abandoned for years, overgrown with weeds, have now been replaced with lush green lawns, paved walkways, and modern lighting systems.
Local authorities are increasing green spaces to serve the people.
With the goal of putting the people at the center of local development, many wards and communes in Ho Chi Minh City have recently focused on improving urban quality by utilizing unused public land for parks and community spaces.
A typical example is the park project with a total area of nearly 600 m² in Tan Thoi Hiep ward, of which green space and grass occupy 354 m² , and paved area is 246 m² ; it has been equipped with many outdoor exercise equipment and many new trees have been planted.
The total cost of implementation was 328 million VND, entirely raised through social mobilization from businesses, charitable organizations, and especially from the local people who also agreed and provided financial support for the project.
Speaking with reporters, Mr. Nguyen Huu Hiep, Chairman of the Tan Thoi Hiep Ward People's Committee, assessed that Ho Chi Minh City leaders have been very decisive in urban beautification. “The city has been very determined in utilizing vacant land for beautification. The purpose of this beautification is to create a green, clean, and beautiful landscape for the city. At the same time, city leaders are also very concerned about the health of the people because the parks will create playgrounds for everyone to exercise,” Mr. Hiep said.
According to Mr. Hiep, in the coming time, the People's Committee of the ward will continue to coordinate with relevant units to effectively utilize public land, develop more parks, green spaces and community living spaces, contributing to improving the quality of life for the people.
New vitality from parks and green spaces.
Mr. Nguyen Minh Tam (Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) said that urban beautification is a policy that all citizens of Ho Chi Minh City support. This shows that the leadership cares about the spiritual life of the city's people, aiming to improve the quality of life for the people of Ho Chi Minh City in all aspects. “Empty plots of land in central areas that remain undeveloped unintentionally detract from urban aesthetics, leading to a lack of cleanup, littering, and an increase in social problems. Converting them into parks and green spaces, even temporarily, contributes to reducing the hardships of daily life, improving mental well-being, and increasing people's trust in the city government,” Mr. Tam shared.
Ms. Nguyen Thanh Nga (25 years old, residing in Xom Chieu ward) shared her excitement about strolling in the new park area in front of Ben Thanh Market. “Previously, this area didn't have much space for young people like us to take photos. Now, the space is open and airy, so many people enjoy coming here. Almost every day recently, it's crowded with people coming to experience it. The biggest advantage is the spacious area and excellent natural light, with no obstructions. In addition, it's decorated with flowers and miniature landscapes; you just need to stand there to get a beautiful photo,” Ms. Nga said.
In Trung My Tay ward, on January 27th, the People's Committee of the ward held a ceremony to inaugurate and hand over a green space project combined with a children's playground in residential area 31.
The park is located in a small alley within a densely populated residential area. The creation of the park here has brought great joy to the residents. According to Mr. Nguyen Hai Lam, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Trung My Tay Ward, after implementing the two-tiered local government model, the ward has been accelerating urbanization, building a civilized urban ward with a high quality of life, and developing green spaces combined with community activity areas is a practical need.
This project aims to create a practical cultural institution, providing young people with a safe place to play, exercise, and stay away from social vices.
Mr. TRAN QUANG LAM , Director of the Department of Construction of Ho Chi Minh City :
Many large parks will be put into operation during the Lunar New Year holiday.
In addition to the nine plots of land that Ho Chi Minh City leaders have directed to be renovated in the past, the Department of Construction, together with Ben Thanh and Saigon wards, has proactively worked with investors to renovate four more plots of land to complete before the Lunar New Year and make them available to the public. These plots of land, with an area of approximately 5 hectares, were previously vacant and are now opened up into beautiful public spaces for the people.
In addition, we also have two parks open to the public on the 25th day of the Lunar New Year: Ly Thai To Park No. 1 and Vung Tau Water Park, both covering an area of approximately 20 hectares.
Thus, during this Tet holiday, Ho Chi Minh City has approximately 25 hectares of parks, green spaces, and public areas to serve the people. In addition, many traffic intersections and roads in Ho Chi Minh City have also been renovated and completed, giving the city a "new look" to welcome the spring.
Mr. LE TRUONG HIEN HOA , Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism :
A boost for tourism development.
Recent urban renovations have attracted many domestic and international tourists to Ho Chi Minh City.
Each location is being renovated to resemble a local tourism product, which is crucial for creating spaces for tourists and locals, especially in central city areas.
We encourage local authorities to further improve existing attractions so that tourists have more places to visit and take photos, thus enhancing the image of Ho Chi Minh City.
In 2026, Ho Chi Minh City aims to attract 11 million international tourists and 50 million domestic tourists. In January and early February, the number of visitors increased significantly. It is hoped that tourism revenue during the Lunar New Year holiday will be even higher than the previous year.
Dr. Tran Dinh Ly , Vice Rector of Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry , Vice President of the Vietnam Marketing Association:
A golden opportunity for Ho Chi Minh City to develop its urban areas.
I believe that the urban renovation decisions made by Ho Chi Minh City's leaders in recent times are highly commendable and strategically significant. The rapid pace of urban renovation not only demonstrates the decisive spirit of Ho Chi Minh City's leaders but also reflects a new urban management mindset, prioritizing the people and using practical effectiveness as a measure of success.
As Ho Chi Minh City enters a new phase of development, assuming the role of a megacity after merging its development space with Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, contributing the largest proportion of the country's GRDP, the demand for quality living spaces is becoming increasingly urgent.
Abandoned plots of land and once-forgotten spaces are being "awakened" and transformed into flower parks and public spaces. This is not just a story about beautifying the city before Tet, but a powerful message about responsible governance, about daring to act and take responsibility for the common good.
Ho Chi Minh City is facing a major challenge but also an opportunity to shift towards a smarter and more sustainable urban development model. With increasingly limited surface land, especially in the urban core, the city is forced to change its mindset from "horizontal expansion" to "spatial restructuring and improving land use quality."
First and foremost, it is necessary to effectively utilize existing space: Redevelop underutilized land areas, old buildings, and infrastructure corridors, while rationally exploiting both above-ground and underground spaces. Developing compact, multi-functional urban areas, integrated with public transportation systems, is an inevitable trend in megacities worldwide, and Ho Chi Minh City is no exception.
Sustainable development is not just a technical or planning problem, but also a governance problem. The participation of citizens, businesses, and experts, along with scientifically-based, transparent, and socially consensus-based policies, will be key to ensuring that Ho Chi Minh City not only achieves rapid economic development but also develops harmoniously, safely, and livably in the future.
Source: https://ttbc-hcm.gov.vn/tp-hcm-khong-gian-do-thi-ruc-ro-don-tet-1020634.html
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