Parks—The Lungs of a City
Urban lifestyle is often characterized by rush, hurry, and a fast-paced life that leaves little time for leisure. The air in the big cities is often blighted by smoke and pollution. Inhabitants get few opportunities for active exercise in the open air. Perhaps the only respite for these hapless victims of an urban lifestyle are parks small islands that provide some fresh air and relief from the ravages of modern living.
Parks are valuable open spaces, where people might indulge in outdoor activities and children can play. But for these spaces, life would become insufferable for those who need an outlet for their physical energies. The young as well as the middle-aged and the old, all may be seen strolling in parks for physical exercise as well as a short break from the stressful lifestyle. What better way to recharge one’s dipping energy levels than through a stroll in the park? The exercise enthusiasts often use parks for exercise and walking.
Parks make up for the clutter of concrete construction which is perhaps an eyesore for a nature-loving individual. Parks are an aesthetic feature in cities burdened with crowded roads and noisy streets. Parks fulfill a person’s longing for lush green countryside. People derive great pleasure in parks with shrubs, flowers, and trees, in the midst of which they can forget. for a while, the claustrophobic city.
Some parks have well-manicured lawns, ponds tenanted by fish, birds, and sometimes even artistic embellishments like sculptures made of stones or waste material, etc. Such parks, which display man’s ingenuity, attract tourists by the hoards, for example, the Rock Garden of Chandigarh, the Brindavan Gardens of Mysore, the Mughal Gardens of Delhi, and the Hanging Gardens of Mumbai.
Parks are a haven for people of all ages and all stratas of society. Children enjoy parks with swings and slides, the adults can be seen basking in the sunshine in winter, while in summers, the immense beautiful trees provide shade. Parks are ‘hot’ favourite picnic spots or a meeting ground for the old-from the middle class, who cannot go to clubs, to meet up to discuss and vent their feelings, joy, or grievances. They, with their fresh air, serve as ideal spaces for morning walkers. They offer an economical way of Seeking some rest and recreation along with their families.
The young and old, the rich and the poor, all derive great pleasure and benefit from parks. Therefore, these beautiful havens must be preserved and nurtured with great love, as they are indeed, ‘the lungs of big cities’ “‘and substitutes for the beauty and quiet of the countryside.
