THE landmark Muharraq Grand Garden will be reopened to the public tomorrow, after 15 years.
Visitors to the revamped BD3.18 million garden, near Bahrain International Airport, will be charged 300 fils for entry and 100 fils for using the restroom.
The long-neglected park was closed in 2006 and two attempts to involve private investors in its revival, once in 2007 and again in 2012, had failed.
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Muharraq Municipality officials clarified, during the Municipal Council meeting yesterday that requests by the garden’s investor to charge BD2.5 for entry and BD1 for parking were unreasonable and could not be accepted.
Councillors demanded that the opening be postponed until the issue is settled with the investor.
However, acting municipality director-general Lamya Al Fadhala said the inauguration would go ahead as planned.
“Visitors to the Muharraq Grand Garden would be charged 300 fils for entry, much like the Khalifa Bin Salman Grand Garden in Riffa,” she said.
“The demand for BD2.5 was never put on the table or negotiated.
“We are happy that the garden is opening after years of closure. It should go ahead undisrupted.
“The issue with the investor can be discussed later and the best business relationship decided on.
“Public welfare is important and we will not accept any exaggerated rates,” said Ms Al Fadhala, who is also the Northern Municipality director-general.
Ms Al Fadhala
The new park features a children’s play area, shaded family areas and a 1km walkway, which has been fitted with 22 physical fitness equipment.
The parking lot can accommodate 550 cars while the garden is equipped with 33 security surveillance cameras.
It also features a ‘dancing’ fountain on an arc covering 350sqm besides various types of shrubs, palms and local fruit trees such as lemon, almond and cactus.
More than 150 Bahraini berry trees have also been planted, along with more than 1,000 date palms and ornamental palms.
Ms Al Fadhala said the government had no plans to run the facility, with the operation cost running up to BD11,000 a month. “We are not business-oriented and it would be better for an investor to run the park. He can arrange for security and cleaning, and in return we get a fixed income.”
Council chairman Ghazi Al Murbati welcomed the 300 fils entry fee.
“A fee of BD2.5 is unreasonable,” he said.
“As a parent, I cannot afford to take my whole family to the park as I would have to shell out BD20 for entry alone.”
Under the investor’s proposal, which the GDN got a copy of, the BD2.5 would have covered entry in addition to specific rides for a full day.
The park was closed more than a decade ago after it became a breeding ground for vermin and snakes.
Plans to turn it into a “miniature Disneyland” were announced in 2007, but that project was scrapped after the Kuwaiti investor pulled out citing losses incurred during the global financial crisis.
In 2012, an investor planned to pump BD20m into the location for a theme park featuring the country’s first indoor ski slope, an ice rink, indoor sports arena, aquatic museum, karting track and three-storey shopping centre.
However, the council ordered the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry to cancel the contract after three years without any work.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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