In pursuit of improving the quality of life for Aramco employees and their families, new facilities have been recently introduced to the Dhahran community located in Jebel Heights. The newly opened facilities were inaugurated by the senior vice president of HR & Corporate Services, Nabeel A. Al-Jama’ and the then executive director of Community Services, Faisal A. Al Hajji on July 29, 2021. These facilities offer a wide range of shops and amenities to suit everyone in the community, and have been designed with the residents’ comfort and well-being in mind.
Community Center
Part of Jebel Height’s new community facilities is the community center with a total floor plan area of 1,922 m2, consisting of a commissary with a floor plan of 861 m2. The commissary includes a bakery offering delicious baked goods, butchery, a fresh fish market, and a large variety of groceries to cater to everyone’s shopping needs.
Next to the commissary is the food court with various concessioners serving local and international cuisines, hot drinks, salads, and sandwiches. Visitors have the option of popping in at the café to enjoy coffee with a colleague, dining in with family and friends at the restaurant, or just grabbing a sandwich or two for those in a hurry. These shops will be operating shortly.
Recreation Building
Adjacent is the recreation building with a total floor plan area of 2,710 m2, divided into an indoor and outdoor area. The indoor facility includes a multipurpose hall with an area of 660 m2, which can easily be reserved for functions using the Health Passport Application. Also included are fitness rooms with a sauna, steam room, and locker room, available for males and females, measuring at a total area of 750 m2.
Along with a kiddie pool and Jacuzzi for the outdoor facilities, swimmers will be happy to know that a new outdoor lap pool is part of the Jebel Heights facility with male and female lockers/changing rooms. Counting the Dhahran Hills lap swimming pool, this will give swimmers the option of two lap pools in the Dhahran community and a total of six swimming pools altogether.
On the opposite side of the community center’s parking area stands the Ali Ibn Abi Taleb mosque that can accommodate up to 800 male and 400 female worshippers. Other than being a landmark pleasing to the eye, visitors won’t need to worry about parking as 329 cars can be accommodated at the mosque’s spacious parking lot.
Outdoor Recreation Facilities
To complete the outdoor recreational activities, part of the exciting new facilities at Jebel Heights are 14 soccer fields for soccer players’ contentment. Comprising of one large field (105 m × 70 m), 11 medium fields (90 m × 45 m), and two small fields (25 m × 16.5 m), each in accordance with FIFA standards.
Community Park
Near the soccer fields, residents will be pleased to learn of the 48,000-m2 area community park for long peaceful evening walks, exercise runs, and where children can spend time at the playground and sandpit.
— The Arabian Sun: August 4, 2021 | Vol. LXXVI, No. 29