Shanghai has added another 162 parks this year, bringing the total to 832 and making a significant step towards its goal of "a city in the parks."

Of the 832 parks, 265 are pocket parks (small outdoor public spaces covering an area of between 400 to 10,000 square meters) and 381 are open day and night, according to the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau.

Parks in Shanghai are not just places to relax or take a stroll. In fact, people can now appreciate art and enjoy sports activities at many such green spaces.

Shanghai is developing a number of parks with multiple functions and dozens of parks across the city have already introduced sports, art and cultural elements to enrich the visitor experience, according to the bureau.

Around 200 activities are rolled out at these parks throughout the year.

Meanwhile, parks are being turned into "ecological parlors" of the city.

Heping Park in Hongkou District has introduced a bookstore with a collection of more than 1,500 journals, while Lujiazui Central Greenland in the Pudong New Area has been hosting coffee-themed activities such as a coffee culture festival. A pop-up cafe, Coffee Cube, has started trial operation in the park.

Gumei Park in Minhang District is the first in China to display around 130 pieces of furniture.

Parks have also become sports and fitness venues, the bureau said, and nearly 300 parks in urban areas have been installed with fitness and sports facilities.

Xujiahui Park in Xuhui District features a number of such facilities such as basketball court, fitness track and table tennis venue, and Gongqing Forest Park and Binjiang Forest Park have introduced activities such as fishing and walking to raise health awareness among the public.