The honking horns of cars, the polluted air, the packed streets… life in the megapolis would be reduced to this much only, if it weren’t for the many beautiful gardens and parks Lahore boasts. Some of the city’s unmanned grounds have long served as play places for the young. For instance, the ones in Samanabad.

A major residential area of Lahore, also the oldest since Partition, Samanabad is home to a number of grounds that are usually filled up to the brim with people either playing or just taking a leisurely stroll in. This shows that the people are itching for some kind of activity. There is also a park specifically built for women who might prefer privacy.

The Samanabad grounds may not be amongst the biggest in the city but they are in abundance. One doesn’t need to travel far into the locality in order to come across a ground. Many trees have been planted in these grounds along with the evergreen shrubberies and flower beds which not only add to their scenic beauty but also help decontaminate the polluted air.

Some of these grounds contain jogging tracks also. The sports commonly played in Samanabad are cricket and football and most school-level tournaments take place here.

Each park has its own ecosystem and provides a habitat or shelter for many different animals. As cities are growing, more and more animals are losing their habitats. These parks provide a safe haven for many of those animals who have been displaced by the never-ending expansion of the city.

The grounds are also used as venues for wedding receptions. In the last elections, most political campaigning also took place here.

Additionally, the parks serve to collect rain water from its surrounding areas. The water is then absorbed in the ground and contributes to the growth of foliage all year round.

There are two major and three minor ‘doongi’ grounds in Samanabad. The two major ones are located on Ghazali Road. One of these is a park with swings for children. The second one, spanning more than five acres of land, is owned by the Parks & Horticulture Authority (PHA).

A newer attraction of this ground is a sports complex named ‘Samnabad Sports Arena.’ The facility is open to members only who can avail access to a state-of-the-art gym, a swimming pool, a snooker room, and courts for badminton, squash and table tennis.

The Sports Arena also offers classes in taekwondo and aerobics. There is an exclusive parking for vehicles of the members.