These facilities encourage physical activity while making walking more comfortable and accessible during the summer.
Abu Dhabi City Municipality has introduced three air-conditioned walking facilities, allowing residents and visitors to stay active and enjoy outdoor spaces more comfortably during the summer. The initiative reflects the emirate’s focus on developing climate-conscious urban facilities that support quality of life and community wellbeing.
The facilities are located at Al Khalidiyah Park, Al Mamoura Walkway and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Park, providing residents with convenient options for walking and exercise. The initiative also aims to encourage greater use of public spaces during the summer, when high temperatures and humidity can make outdoor activities challenging.
These facilities promote physical activity while making walking a more comfortable and accessible option during the summer. They also encourage residents and visitors to make greater use of outdoor public spaces, supporting broader efforts to create an urban environment that promotes healthy lifestyles, recreation and year-round physical activity.
Comfortable environment
In 2025, Abu Dhabi opened the emirate’s first fully air-conditioned outdoor walking track in the Al Nahyan area. The facility uses an underfloor cooling system to maintain temperatures at around 24°C, while its design allows natural light to enter, creating a more comfortable environment for pedestrians.
Al Mamoura Walkway demonstrates how infrastructure can be adapted to the emirate’s climate while providing residents with a dedicated space for walking, movement and access to nearby facilities. The project also encourages greater use of outdoor public spaces and supports efforts to enhance quality of life across the urban environment.
700-metre walkway maintains a temperature of around 25°C
King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Park, opened by the Department of Municipalities and Transport in December last year, features an air-conditioned walking track stretching approximately 700 metres. The walkway forms part of the park’s wider range of sports, recreational and green facilities.
Beyond the walking track, the park offers various amenities designed to promote physical activity and outdoor recreation, creating a community destination where visitors can combine exercise, relaxation and time in nature.
The air-conditioned walkway makes the park more accessible during the summer months, giving visitors the option to walk in a cooler and more comfortable setting. Its surrounding green spaces and recreational facilities further enhance the overall experience for residents and visitors.
Meanwhile, Al Khalidiyah Park Walkway opened last June, providing walking and running enthusiasts with a comfortable space to pursue their activities throughout the year while avoiding the effects of high summer temperatures.
The 660-metre-long walkway maintains a steady temperature of around 25°C, allowing visitors to exercise or enjoy daily walks in a comfortable environment. The facility is designed to accommodate people of all age groups, including senior citizens and people of determination.
Encouraging physical activity
Air-conditioned walking tracks offer more than dedicated routes for walking; they also encourage residents to incorporate regular movement and physical activity into their daily routines.
Walking is an accessible form of exercise for people of different ages and fitness levels. By providing comfortable, dedicated and accessible routes, these facilities help overcome the challenges posed by high summer temperatures and give residents more opportunities to stay active outdoors without relying solely on indoor gyms.
These facilities also support the concept of walkable cities by creating dedicated spaces for movement and community use. They encourage residents to spend more time in public areas, promote social interaction and provide greater access to nearby amenities and facilities.
Urban solutions that enhance wellbeing
The development of air-conditioned walking facilities reflects a broader approach to creating public amenities that respond to community needs while combining innovative infrastructure with the health, recreational and social functions of public spaces.
Such facilities can also extend the use of parks and walking tracks beyond seasonal limitations, giving residents more opportunities to stay active and enjoy outdoor spaces in greater comfort. By integrating climate-responsive infrastructure into the urban environment, these projects support an approach to city development that places community health, comfort and wellbeing at its centre.
