Central Park’s skating area a danger for children

Local skaters have voiced their concerns over children getting injured while playing in the skating area of Central Park in Hulhumale’ without any safety measures.

While there are many areas dedicated to skating in Maldives, the one in Central Park is especially frequented by people and children.

Skaters even face difficulties due to the number of children that visit the park in the evenings and climb onto the ramps. They also note that children climbing those often get injured while playing around.

Notably, unfortunate incidents such as breaking an arm have occurred there previously.

Skater Mohamed Rishwan from ‘Inline Skating Association’ who spoke with Sun spoke about children getting injured.

“Evening is when the number of children increases. From the evening, sometimes they are around till about 9. Apart from that (skating area) no other area in the park will be brightly lit at night. Parents will be there with their children as well. Kids playing football, and running around will be let loose there. While riding (the skateboard) a child might just run in front. Many kids get injured that way.”

Rishwan also noted that children as young as three to four years are seen in the park at that time of the night.

Furthermore, while the issue is faced daily, he said that they were unable to skate at all during the weekend. He also said that the concerns have been raised to the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) on multiple occasions.

Although the park is open to the general public, the skating area is dedicated to skaters. Despite that, there is no indication such as signs that specify this.

When asked about this, HDC PR Assistant Manager Ahmed Mimrah said to Sun that signs were put up previously, but now have to be changed as they were damaged by the public.

Mimrah went on to say that even now the work to put up those signs was ongoing.

Additionally, he said that children playing in the skating area was an issue that has already come to their attention, and said that such things will only be resolved with more public awareness.

He stressed that even if signs were put up, it would not be a solution if there is no awareness towards this.