Hanoi municipal authorities are working on the plan to open part of Thu Le Park to the public, the city's Deputy Mayor Duong Duc Tuan said on February 7.

Visitors at Thu Le Park in Hanoi. Photo: The Hanoi Times

The city may open the section facing the under-construction subway station on Kim Ma Street for free, the vice chairman of the municipal People's Committee said.

Other areas of the park will be open with paid admission, including the zoo and the part next to Thu Le Village, he added.

As the park is surrounded by busy roads, local authorities cannot make it fully public, Tuan said.

A specific plan to make Thu Le Park free to enter will be carefully studied as part of the city's master plan to renovate all parks, he said.

Thu Le Park, located in the Ngoc Khanh neighborhood of Ba Dinh District, was established in 1975. It covers a total area of 18.7 hectares and houses a zoo with 600 animals of 88 species.

The park also includes the Voi Phuc Temple, one of the Four Guardian Temples that protect the ancient city of Thang Long.

Visiting other city parks, Vice President Tuan urged project management units to speed up the construction and renovation of local parks and avoid budget overruns.

Visiting the construction site at the CV1 Lake Park, the official asked the contractors to install new outdoor fitness equipment and plant more trees to increase the value of the park.

Tuan said city authorities will focus their resources on renovating local parks, and relevant agencies should submit development plans to the city People's Council for review by June.

In recent years, the capital has taken steps to build new parks and repair existing ones.

In 2023, Hanoi plans to open three new parks, including the CV1 Lake Park that lies between Cau Giay District and Nam Tu Liem District, the Astronomy Park in Duong Noi Urban Area of Ha Dong District, and Mai Dich Park.

In late December 2022, Hanoi authorities removed the fence on the northern side of Thong Nhat Park, making the park a free admission place and combining it with Thien Quang Lake to create a new pedestrian zone.