Northern Municipal Council Backs Proposal to Support Youth Sports Facilities

The Northern Area Municipal Council approved raising a formal recommendation to Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak, Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, during its tenth ordinary meeting of the sixth municipal term, fourth session, calling for ministerial review of a proposal to support permanent youth sports facilities in the Northern Governorate.

The decision came after deliberations on a proposal submitted by Municipal Council member Tareq Jaafer Al Farsani, representative of the Fifth Constituency. The proposal seeks to adjust the allocation of part of an existing public parking area to allow the development of football and volleyball pitches affiliated with the Abu Saiba Youth Empowerment Centre.

Al Farsani explained that the youth centre currently relies on a temporary playing area that does not meet long term requirements. He told the council that the surrounding area suffers from a shortage of land allocated for sports and youth facilities, despite repeated attempts to identify suitable alternative sites.

He noted that the proposal offers a practical and realistic solution, as it avoids the need to designate new land or impose additional planning obligations on the relevant authorities, while responding directly to the needs of young people in the area.

Council members said that organised sports facilities play an essential role in promoting physical health, encouraging positive use of free time, and strengthening social cohesion among youth. They stressed that providing structured spaces for sporting activities contributes to community stability and supports wider youth development objectives.

Members also highlighted that formalising the use of the site under the supervision of the youth authorities would improve governance, ensure sustainability, and raise safety standards compared with the current temporary arrangement.

At the conclusion of the discussion, the council agreed to submit the recommendation to the minister for study and further action. Members emphasised the importance of the proposal and its direct social impact, reaffirming that supporting youth initiatives and community based development remains a core municipal priority.