It's playtime, folks!

Trending spaces

At a time when playgrounds and open spaces are hard to find, the play arenas that have sprung up across the city have come as a blessing in disguise. Bengalureans are now stretching, jumping and taking part in games more than ever.

These arenas offer the option to play at least five different kinds of sport in one huge space. Cricket, tennis and football are among the options. Children too have a range of games to choose from. The cafe and the music in these places add to the charm.

Ng Archana Singha, an IT professional, says that she has visited GuBacheez, the children’s play arena in HSU Layout. “There are plenty of options for children to play and each sport is designed to be different. One can easily spend two or three hours at these places. It is clean and safe,” says Archana.

Poonas Gupta Khan, a HRS professional and her husband Rafi Ali Khan, a businessman, point out that play arenas are an indispensable part of any growing city. “These spaces are interactive for both adults and children. You can play just about any sport. If you go in large groups, then children and adults can engage in different activities,” says Poonas.

There are large play arenas like the Tiger 5 on Kanchipuram Road which has dedicated football courts. Suhas Chandrashekar, an employee with IBM India Private Limited visits this place on weekends with a team of 10 to 15 people. He says, “It is safe to play in a sanitised environment rather than in open playgrounds which are usually never well-maintained. You end up paying more but play arenas offer value for money. I also like the music that’s constantly playing in the background. It lends a sense of excitement to the whole setting.” 

 Abhishek Rao, an employee with Cognizant, finds these arenas the right place to unwind after a hectic week. A big football fan, Abhishek, points out that most of the open grounds in the city are occupied by those who play cricket and there’s never enough room for the ones who want to play football. “Football is most enjoyed when played in a turf and we have that luxury at play arenas. I usually frequent the arenas at Decathlon and the one on Sarjapur Road because these are by far the best for football,” says Abhishek.

It is the safety aspect that draws Zakir Khan to these places. He enjoys playing cricket with his friends at the Free Kick Sports Arena in Fraser Town. “We go in large groups. The prefered sport is always cricket and arenas are safe because it is netted all around. This makes sure that we don’t hurt anybody or damage any property if we ever hit a high shot,” reasons Zakir.