A Walk in the Park in Panama City: Parque Omar

If you are in town and looking for a quiet place to take a walk, jog, sit on a park bench and watch the birds, or enjoy a fresh fruit drink in the shade drop by Parque Omar. Named for Panama leader Omar Torrijos, Parque Omar is a tree shaded respite in the midst of busy Panama City. Located on Via Porras in the San Francisco neighborhood Parque Omar is also the sight of the National Library-with internet access, tennis courts, a baseball diamond, lots of room for pick up soccer matches, meeting rooms, and playgrounds.  

Parque Omar has lots of free standing art, a daily flow of joggers and on weekends it is a family place with the folks setting up a picnic in the shade of a stately tree while the kids play soccer in the open spaces. There is frequently a knot of people in the social area around the snack bar near the entrance and parking off Via Porras. Exercise classes meet every day in the park.

As Panama City grows and more high rises sprout up Parque Omar remains a quiet refuge where the birds chirp, kids play, and retirees sit on park benches reading La Prensa. You can take a different path for your walk every day for a week and not repeat yourself or you can follow the joggers on their daily circuit of the periphery. The tennis courts across from the library on the main road straight into the park have open hours for non-members. The 5 square kilometer park is also the home a police academy tucked away from the running paths and park benches.

Parque Omar is a nice, quiet, safe place to meet in the city, easy to reach by turning off Via España onto Via Porras. It is only a few blocks from shopping or a $2.50 matinee movie at the Multiplaza Pacifica Mall. It is a safe place for a walk or jog between other chores. The large, air conditioned library has ample parking, a few English language books, and a number of computers with internet access for a few cents an hour.

It is easy to forget about the city when you walk the interior paths or sit on a park bench in Parque Omar. You will be surprised to come out of a sheltered path to find a group of boys playing soccer or a grandfather helping his granddaughter explore a playground. Unless you walk the periphery you will only see the high rises that have become the signature of Panama City when you return to the entrance.