A MASSIVE renovation project to restore Muharraq’s historic Casino Garden to its former glory is on the way, revealed municipal officials.
The park which opened in the late 1960s is one of Muharraq’s cultural landmarks and was once used for recreational purposes by the British Royal Air Force before being turned into a public garden.
However, today many of the garden’s amenities are either out of order or in a state of disrepair.
The Muharraq Municipal Council earlier submitted a proposal to restore the park to its former glory and bring back all games and rides that attracted hundreds of families every evening.
The request has been approved by Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Minister Wael Al Mubarak who managed to allocate funding of around BD617,000 in the 2023-2024 national budget.
The ministry’s project’s consultant Ahmed Jamal told the council in its final meeting of the term that designs for the new garden, which covers 23,175 square metres, have been inspired by the pearl’s formation stages.
“The new garden will be divided into sections that includes sport facilities and football and padel pitches, children’s play areas, light sports and fitness sections, restaurants and kiosks, green spaces and plant nursery, and bigger car parking,” said Mr Jamal.
“The place will also include tracks for jogging and cycling, a farmers’ market, a water fountain, a renovated mosque and toilets, in addition to recreational family facilities.
“There are plans to have open squares for the area’s events.”
Meanwhile, area councillor Dalal Al Meghawi said the allocated budget is high and that she wants the revamp project trimmed.
“We just need repairs to the garden in addition to football pitches and nothing fancy as presented by the ministry to the council,” she said.
“Half of the allocated budget could be spent to renovate and remodel dilapidated homes in my area, which are more than 50 years old.
“There has to be a review of the project and another simpler version presented.”
The council’s services and public utilities committee chairman Ahmed Al Meghawi said the Casino Garden is the oldest park in the country and needs a facelift to restore it to its original state.
“The current park is in an appalling state and needs intensive work, which the ministry as told would cover partially through assigned funding and the rest by investors wishing to have their business projects there,” he said.
“The moment we ask for budgets to be trimmed or cut, is when we ask the government to stop work, as we figure things out amongst ourselves.
“Instead of seeing the park restored, we will end up with further 10 years of wait, and this doesn’t benefit anyone.”
The GDN reported in January 2017 that security firms withdrew their guards from public parks, walkways, gardens and markets in the Muharraq Governorate because their contracts were not renewed by December 31, 2016.
Amongst the damages caused until new security firms stepped in was a fire at the Casino Garden.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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