Exactly a year ago, the State Government announced that it was planning to construct a Rs. 4 crore worth Children’s Park in the top open floor of the Khangchendzonga Shopping Complex at the Lal Bazaar in Gangtok. The proposed park, to be implemented by the State Urban Development and Housing Department (UD&HD) was to have all the modern amenities and space to provide some much needed outdoor activities to the children of the Capital.
The news was much received by all sections of the society, especially parents and teachers. It was believed that the State Government had finally woken up to the fact that the future generations need other forms of entertainment despites television and computer games. But one year later, the project is yet to take off, perhaps confined to the papers only. Which is sad, considering the increasing lack of space in the Capital. The Lall Market rooftop is now being used for consumer fairs and what have you.
Let’s face it. The Capital is fast growing into a modern town. Massive increase in high-rises, vehicular traffic, congestion and consumerism, it has all the trappings of a typical modern town. However, it lacks one basic requirement-a recreation park for children. A recreation park that can not only provide a healthy alternative to a child’s growth, it can also be a meeting ground for adults as well. As said before by this newspaper, the MG Marg did not qualify as a children’s park.
Take a quick look around the town and one thing that will surely be conspicuous by its absence is a decent park for children. In the 70s and the early eighties, the town did have a children’s park right in the heart of the town. But blame it on the “far-sightedness” of our policy makers or their loop-sided visions for the Capital, the children’s park is now a multi-storied parking lot. The only remnant of the erstwhile park is its name. Ironically, it is still called “children’s park motor stand!”
Play plays a vital role in a child’s all-round development. With most private schools lacking even a decent playground for children, and most of the houses built on cramped spaces, it is no surprise that today’s children are growing up in the confines of their houses, with the TV and the computer as their playmates. This generation will never know the thrill of running around in open grounds and playing hide and seek, climbing trees, sliding down a slippery slope, spinning around in a wheel or just getting their knees bruised. A community park with some basic play amenities for children is definitely the need of the hour. While the focus of the government has been on easing the traffic congestions and building parking lots for vehicles and not parks for the children, today’s children probably will see “children’s parks” in textbooks only.