Fitness enthusiasts who frequent parks for their morning constitutional have suddenly faced locked gates at some parks in the city and had to move to alternate streets to keep up their commitments

A few slim and trim tabbys and striped bobtails wait patiently at the entrances to some parks in the capital these days to meet morning strollers who often carry along titbits for their feline breakfast…But during Ramadan, they are sadly disappointed. There are no strollers!

Locked gates now greet early morning strollers at some parks which usually see people trickle in from 5am onward everyday, all through the year. Come rain or shine, these morning strollers frequent the parks regularly; however, most were stumped clean on the first morning of Ramadan this year when the gates were locked, and they remained so for the better part of the day.

Apart from frequenting the couple of newly created jogging/cycling tracks at Ruwi and Wadi Kabir, morning strollers are also seen in the empty parking lots in CBD/MBD, Muttrah, Darsait, corniche, Shatti al Qurm, Al Ghubra, Al Seeb beach, and other residential areas. However, those who frequent parks within residential areas are those who don’t drive, especially ladies/students, as well as those who have to dash off to work/school from 7am onward.

Many regular strollers said they have turned to alternate locations, though in a much disappointed manner, as they have been frequenting their favourite parks for decades on end, except when they were closed during the pandemic a couple of years ago.

One of them pointed out that morning strollers in parks include many people who take walks for medical reasons. Some are quite aged and are seen wearing lumbar belts during their walks while some are seen strolling with walkers, especially post orthopaedic surgery cases who have been advised to walk. These have to use nearby parks and cannot drive up to the beach.

Manish Shah, a morning stroller at Wadi Kabir, said, “I stay in this area and have been a regular here for several years. It is not right to keep the parks closed in the morning as many have cancelled their morning fitness activity seeing locked gates. I hope the civic authorities will understand the fitness is important for all citizens and keep the parks open in the morning.”

Another senior man, who did not reveal his name, said, “It makes no sense to keep the parks closed in the morning. Even those who are fasting need to visit the park for morning walks – I am one of them. It is my guess, that the parks are left unclean after the previous evenings visitors till late night and they do not want patrons to see the mess before workers do their task.”

Govind Negi, a resident adjacent to the Wadi Kabir park, who has been conducting yoga sessions for those interested, every morning in the park for the past 20 years, said, “I enjoy my mornings at Wadi Kabir Park because I used to stay so close to this park before, and though I live away at Hatat House now, I still come here every morning. I love the fact that we have been doing yoga here for the past 20 years, and the fresh ambience of the park, greenery, chirping birds, all add value to our yoga and meditation sessions here.”

Negi explained that frequenting the park in the morning is ideal as the air has more oxygen and there is less pollution because vehicle emissions are less at that time. And if your body gets adequate fresh oxygen in the morning, it will be less prone to disease, he said, adding that most people find it convenient to meditate or workout in the morning to keep fit for the whole day.

“I had started coming to this park since the year 2000 and have never seen it closed, except during the recent pandemic when all parks were closed. And the caretaker has been very kind to keep it open for us in the early hours every morning. I know of many people who are fasting, who like to begin their day with a walk in the park. It is good for everyone.”

Green lung

The Wadi Kabir Park is the only green lung in downtown Muscat located on a service road on the way to the Al Bustan Palace hotel which is endowed with manicured lawns, old trees, walkways and a kiddies play area.

It is frequented every morning and evening by a large number of patrons who seek a dose of nature to pep up their daily grind. In the evenings, a lot of groups hold get-togethers, birthday parties, company meetings as well as group fitness activities on the lush lawns which are well maintained all year round.