Aldar has joined hands with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Community Development (DCD) to develop Yas Community Park on Yas Island, a new public space that will include a community hub aimed at supporting social engagement and inclusive urban living.

The project is part of an agreement between DCD and Aldar to expand the Nabdh Community Hub model across Aldar developments in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra, said a statement.

Under the agreement, DCD will identify community needs, oversee programs and establish the regulatory framework, while Aldar will lead the planning, design and development of the facilities, the developer explained.

The park will feature Nabdh Yas, a community hub that will host programs for families, youth and senior citizens. The initiative marks the first time private sector investment has been directed towards community infrastructure of this type in Abu Dhabi, with DCD responsible for the hub’s long-term management, it added.

“The collaboration with the Department of Community Development on Nabdh Yas reflects a shared commitment to creating places that bring people together and enrich everyday life across Abu Dhabi,” remarked its Group CEO Talal Al Dhiyebi.

Yas Community Park forms part of the Yas Inclusive City initiative, a joint programme by Aldar and DCD aimed at making Yas Island more accessible and inclusive.

Located between Yas Island’s residential neighbourhoods and leisure attractions, the park will include a mosque, an accessible children’s playground, shaded family areas and retail outlets, he stated.

Hamad Ali Al Dhaheri, Undersecretary of DCD, said the partnership would strengthen the presence of community centres within residential neighbourhoods and transform them into spaces that encourage interaction and participation.

“Through the ‘Nabdh’ community centres, we are working to cultivate an integrated community environment that offers opportunities for participation, learning, and volunteering, while empowering different segments of society to contribute actively to community programs and activities in a way that enhances quality of life and reinforces a culture of shared responsibility and social cohesion,” he commented.

The Nabdh Yas hub will become part of a wider network of community hubs across Abu Dhabi that deliver programs and activities in partnership with government, private sector and non-profit organisations, he concluded.