Hugging the Schuylkill River on the border of West Philadelphia in the United States, and covering more than 3,700 hectares, Fairmount Park is one of the world’s largest city park systems.
The expansive green space boasts beautiful hills, a relaxing waterfront, shaded woodland and a runner’s paradise of well-trodden trails. One of its best-known running areas, the Belmont Plateau Trail – affectionately known as The Plateau – has played host to countless youth, high-school, college and National Championship cross-country meets since the 1960s, and over the years has welcomed Olympic athletes such as Eamonn Coghlan, Don Paige, John Treacy, Sydney Maree and Marty Liquori.
But after decades of heavy use, trail erosion and vegetative growth, The Plateau was crying out for some TLC. So the Fairmount Park Conservancy, supported by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, embarked on a project to upgrade the trails.
The project focused on the improvement of The Plateau’s landscape and trails, and the installation of new, clearer signage for three of the running courses: the 3-kilometre, 5km and 8km routes. To fund the restoration, The Conservancy raised US$150,000 (Dh550,913), partially by selling charity bibs for the Broad Street Run, the largest 10-mile (16km) road race in America, and collecting contributions from the run’s participants. Funds raised have also been allocated to ensure the long-term sustainability of the trails. The recently completed first phase of the restoration project took three months to complete, but the continuing project will include some improvements later this year.
To celebrate the completion of the first phase of upgrades, The Conservancy and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation joined a group of local track coaches for a day of activities. Also unveiled that day was the Belmont Plateau Cross Country Hall of Fame, founded by Philadelphia University’s head track coach Dave Thomas. The new site pays tribute to the talented runners, coaches, officials and championship teams that have competed at The Plateau. Part of the day’s activities included the first-annual Belmont Plateau Hall of Fame Classic, a 5km race and 1-mile (1.6km) run/walk, which was open to all ages. Several of the region’s past and present track stars took part, including the 2008 Olympics distance runner Erin Donahue and the 1988 Olympics marathoner Gary Fanelli.
Much like the city of Philadelphia, Fairmount Park is steeped in history. The original property was created when Robert Morris, a financier of the Revolutionary War, was declared bankrupt and had to sell his country farm and gardens to another local businessman. The buyer reportedly created such lovely gardens at the site that he started charging admission to view them. The estate changed hands twice after that, until 1843, when a shrewd city councilman saw that it might be able to offer an answer to the city’s water-pollution problems. Because the property was situated on top of the city’s municipal water works, designating it as “parkland” would help protect the water supply and create thousands of acres of buffer around the Schuylkill River. It also meant that industrial interests wouldn’t be able to set up in these areas or use the river as a dumping site.
During the next century, the city acquired additional land surrounding the park, and recruited landscape architects to develop a plan that would preserve the park’s natural features while maximising public accessibility and emphasising its impressive vistas. The views of the Philadelphia skyline set against mature forests and expansive green spaces are particularly striking.
Today, Fairmount Park offers a quiet escape from the city and enables visitors to partake in a number of outdoor pursuits. There are kilometres of trails used by off-road cyclists, hikers and equine enthusiasts, and facilities for organised sports teams, such as softball and ultimate Frisbee.
In addition, several entertainment and cultural options are available to visitors, including Japanese tea ceremonies and concerts held in the park’s two outdoor concert venues. The Philadelphia Museum of Art sits at the headway of the park, while a Victorian-style trolley offers tours of the colonial-era mansions that dot the park’s landscape. There are also three different environmental centres and a wildlife refuge treatment centre.
In addition to its upgrade of The Plateau, the Conservancy has overseen several other improvement projects over the years. The group was involved in the implementation of a new recreation and play space in Centennial Commons, which lies along the west of the park; it relit the park’s historic Boat House Row, which offers refuge to several boathouses that are home to local social and rowing clubs and their racing shells, with eco-friendly lighting; and helped to restore Boxers’ Trail, so-named because when Muhammad Ali used to want to challenge the long-time Philadelphia resident Joe Frazier, this is where he came, because he knew Frazier would be there. Before the start of the restoration project, the Boxers’ Trail was a narrow, unpaved path running along a wooded hilltop overlooking the Schuylkill River. Now, it connects the historic Smith Memorial Playground and the historic mansions of Fairmount Park to the Strawberry Mansion neighbourhood, as well as to the regional trail system that leads to Valley Forge.
The Conservancy has supported efforts to preserve and improve Fairmount Park and community parks around the city. The group was established in 1998, first as the Fairmount Park Foundation and then renamed to its current moniker in 2001. The group spent more than $20m on increasing public awareness in its first 10 years in existence. More recently, however, the group’s mission has evolved beyond fundraising, and now focuses on planning, project management, programme development and community outreach endeavours.
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Green Spaces is a series that features notable gardens and public spaces from around the world.
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The biog
Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati
Age: 42
Marital status: single
Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia
Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Under 19 World Cup
Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka
Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies
Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe
Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE
UAE fixtures
Saturday, January 18, v Canada
Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan
Saturday, January 25, v South Africa
FORSPOKEN
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Starfield
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I Care A Lot
Directed by: J Blakeson
Starring: Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage
3/5 stars
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
T20 World Cup Qualifier
Final: Netherlands beat PNG by seven wickets
Qualified teams
1. Netherlands
2. PNG
3. Ireland
4. Namibia
5. Scotland
6. Oman
T20 World Cup 2020, Australia
Group A: Sri Lanka, PNG, Ireland, Oman
Group B: Bangladesh, Netherlands, Namibia, Scotland
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
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A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
