Addis Ababa Opens 40-Hectare Arada Park with Retail, Leisure Facilities

Mintesinot Niggusie

Addis Ababa City Administration on Thursday inaugurated a 40-hectare park in the Arada district, advancing a mixed-use urban redevelopment project that combines retail space, transport infrastructure and public leisure facilities in the capital’s historic core.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed officiated the opening ceremony, while city authorities presented the project as part of a broader effort to reorganise central urban land use and formalise commercial activity in densely populated areas.

Mayor Adanech Abiebie said the development reflects a transition from what she described as a degraded urban environment into a structured public space integrating housing, business and recreation. In a statement shared on her social media page, she said the area had previously been affected by congestion, informal settlements and ageing structures, which have now been replaced with planned infrastructure.

She said residents relocated from the Piazza area have been moved into newly constructed housing with improved living standards, adding that the process was designed to preserve community networks, including traditional mutual support systems.

The park’s design incorporates five kilometres of internal roads, six kilometres of pedestrian walkways and five kilometres each of cycling lanes and running tracks, creating a multi-layered mobility network within the site.

Commercial space forms a central component of the development. A total of 131 retail units have been established, with priority given to traders previously operating in Piazza. The site also includes seven cafés and restaurants, a supermarket and a bank branch, embedding formal business activity within the public space.

Recreational infrastructure includes a gym, seven multipurpose halls, eight plazas and three amphitheatres for public events. A “dancing fountain” installation and a 100-metre national flagpole have also been installed as visual landmarks.

Green space covers 15 hectares of the site, supported by four playgrounds and a dedicated children’s learning area. Public utilities include 22 restroom facilities and parking capacity for more than 100 vehicles.

Officials said the project uses a layered land-use model, placing commercial functions underground and public spaces at ground level to maximise urban land efficiency.

The wider redevelopment also includes the restoration of more than 700 surrounding structures, with authorities stating that their historical character has been preserved during renovation.