Hanoi park in severe disrepair despite years of planning, recent renaming

Vo Thi Sau Park, formerly known as Tuoi Tre Thu Do (Capital Youth) Park, spans more than 26 hectares in Hai Ba Trung Ward, part of the former Hai Ba Trung District, which was dissolved under a recent administrative reorganization.

On Thursday, the Hanoi People's Council approved a resolution officially renaming the park — originally planned as a youth and sports center — after revolutionary heroine Vo Thi Sau.

However, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper's reporters observed that much of the park is visibly degraded. 

Broken tiles, damaged seating, and decaying auxiliary structures line the grounds, while several housing blocks remain abandoned and unsightly. 

Despite the conditions, the park remains crowded with joggers and people playing sports.

The park was first approved for redevelopment in 2000, but unresolved land clearance issues have stalled the project for over two decades. 

A total investment of VND282.8 billion (US$10.8 million) was approved in 2002, with funding from the municipal budget. 

The Hanoi Youth Investment and Services Company was named project investor.

A 2020 inspection by the Hanoi Inspectorate found widespread violations. 

Authorities had allowed construction of a water park, floating buildings, and a tennis stadium before the developer had legal land rights. 

Several structures, including parking lots and 13 other facilities, were built in violation of the city's planning regulations.

The report also found that both the Department of Construction and the then-Hai Ba Trung District administration failed to intervene or halt the unauthorized developments.

In 2021, Hanoi's city government formed a special task force to respond to the inspection findings and implement recommendations, but significant portions of the park remain incomplete or misused.

The park was originally established in 1991 and placed under the management of the Hanoi chapter of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, with a vision to serve as a cultural and recreational hub for young people in the capital.