Comment: Open grounds for greater good – Gulf Digital News

Comment: Open grounds for greater good – Gulf Digital News

BAHRAIN is best-known for two things: its large-hearted inclusiveness and its .. err.. compact size. With the dynamic improvement in land reclamation technology, the kingdom has, in recent years, swelled to much larger size. However, it still remains among the smallest countries in Asia by area and – here’s something I bet you didn’t know – with an estimated population of 2,247 inhabitants per km², it is also one of the most densely-populated countries.

There are many new townships coming up in Bahrain as the country adjusts to a growing urban population. Of course, villages stand cheek-by-jowl with these ‘cities’ and in terms of facilities, access to excellent healthcare, education and your basic shopping is a given even for remote villages and camps in faraway Askar or Zallaq. The Madinat Salman coming up as a coastal town is well-planned and despite the tight grid, it still retains an inviting hint of untamed charm.

One bright spot till recently was that even in the most densely-populated urban space, one could stumble upon a kerchief of green in the form of a well-maintained public garden.

Right behind Wyndham in Juffair, for example, surrounded by residential towers, there is a cosy little garden.

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