Innovative products from the US-based irrigation specialist Hunter Industries have helped transform a farmland and palm grove In Saudi Arabia into an attractive recreational park that has drawn more than 1.8 million visitors in its first year of operation.

Salam Park – a 30-hectare strategically-located heritage property in the heart of Riyadh – was once the site of a residential palace and service buildings, with a mosque dating back to over 70 years.
In 2000, plans were drawn up to convert this land into a park for citizens. The project- overseen by the Ar-Riyadh Development Authority (ADA) – was completed in 2003 at a cost of approximately $16 million.
Irrigation specifier MEAC was responsible for selecting products for the park’s large irrigation system. Experienced officials from ADA such as Ibrahim Al Fuhid served as the project manager and oversaw the installation and Mohammed Muzaini as the operation and maintenance manager, says a spokesperson for Hunter.
Hunter irrigation products were chosen for the job, and included six ICC controllers at the heart of the system, handling the scheduling and programming for the site.
“The ICC is a modular controller, which means it can be configured to a desired number of stations simply by adding station modules in increments of four or eight, up to as many as 48 stations for the stainless steel pedestal version that was installed at Salam Park. Three of the park’s ICC controllers handle 32 stations each, while the other three handle 24,” explains the spokesperson.
Hunter has also supplied other irrigation equipment including a total of 152 HBV brass valves, in a mix of two and three-inch models. More than 2,200 I-20 rotary sprinklers, 3,200 Pro-Spray (PCN bubbler) sprayheads and 400 Institutional Spray sprayheads deliver the water to the greenery.
MEAC has calculated that 2,088 cu m of irrigation water is used daily to keep alive a park of this size with extensive areas of landscaping and greenery, keeping in mind the hot and dry desert climate of Saudi Arabia.
In all, there is more than 125,000 sq m of turf across Salam Park. Along with the vast number of palms, there are also more than 1,900 other trees, plus over 87,000 shrubs and 38,000 ground cover plants.
Set on a series of undulating hills with lush, green turf, Salam Park features a 34 sq km man-made lake with a 20-m-high fountain, plus an environmental reserve that offers free recreational facilities such as rowing and a remote-controlled model boat area. The park also includes a wildlife conservation zone, jogging trails, children’s playground, and a palm orchard with more than 1,200 trees. In addition to all of the natural beauty of the landscape, Salam Park has also become home to a number of cafes and restaurants, making it as popular for business meetings as for families.
“Salam Park was created in order to introduce natural elements – by means of a greenbelt – in the Riyadh City Center’s Qasr Al Hokm (Rule Palace) area. This historical and heritage centre is known as the place where the foundation was laid for the modern Saudi state. In the city centre are the mosque of Imam Turki bin Abdullah and Masmak Fortress. The area is also recognised as an important commercial district,” points out the spokesperson.
Salam Park has become an extremely popular park among the locals, with around 70 per cent of its visitors being Saudi nationals, and draws an average of 2,000 visitors per day, with the figure peaking to 15,000 over the weekends.
Hunter Industries is among the world’s leading manufacturers of irrigation solutions for turf, landscaping and golf courses. The company is headquartered in San Marcos, California, and produces water-efficient products for residential and commercial use, including pop-up gear-driven rotors, spray sprinklers, valves, control systems and weather sensors. Hunter products are installed around the globe including at public parks in Australia, gardens in Europe, sports stadiums in Indiana, golf courses in South Africa and civic centres in Saudi Arabia.