A NEW padel court could soon be set up at Bahrain’s oldest park in Muharraq.
The private investment project has been approved unanimously by the Muharraq Municipal Council.
However, the developers are awaiting a go-ahead from Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf before starting work on the project at the Casino Public Park.
“This is an interesting sport and a new investment that we would like to have in Muharraq, especially at the country’s oldest park,” said the council’s financial, administrative and legislative committee chairman Bassem Al Majdami.
“It is picking up locally and internationally as an alternative to normal tennis.”
Padel is a racket sport and typically played in doubles on an enclosed court roughly 25 per cent smaller than the size of a tennis court. Scoring is the same as normal tennis and the balls used are similar but with a little less pressure.
The main differences are that the court has walls and the balls can be played off them in a similar way as in the game of squash. Also, solid, stringless bats are used for padel. The height of the ball being served must be at or below the waist level.
“I have been told that the new court will be the biggest of its kind in Bahrain,” said Mr Al Majdami.
“It would be nice to see how this investment succeeds, hopefully it would be like Gravity Indoor Skydiving in uniqueness and what it has to offer.
“Entertainment facilities are the future and they are of appeal to residents and tourists, especially as the park is just off Bahrain International Airport.”
The Bahrain Padel Federation earlier this week was granted membership in the International Padel Federation.
The Casino park was originally built in the 1930s when Bahrain was under the British protectorate.
Meanwhile, a group of people have sought compensation, claiming that they had won approval to build a car wash showroom on the site where the padel court is set to come up.
However, councillors have rejected the demand, asserting that permission was never granted by them or municipal officials for the project.
Mr Al Majdami said the group was never permitted to set up a car wash showroom as per official records. “The padel dome is a better investment than a car wash as similar businesses are available across the country,” he said.
The terms of lease and other contractual details will be drawn up by Muharraq Municipality director general Ibrahim Al Jowder pending the minister’s approval.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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