MUHARRAQ’S only natural reserve park may get a much-needed revamp to turn it into a state-of-art facility, if councillors have their way.
The Muharraq Municipal Council has now unanimously approved an urgent proposal to introduce new facilities such as environmental-friendly rides and sport equipment, instal a rubber-ground walkway and other recreational facilities in the highly popular Arad Bay opposite Bahrain International Airport.
Also, councillors are calling for a massive clean-up of the bay’s water, which they believe has become stagnant and dirty.
It has now been referred to Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Minister Wael Al Mubarak for immediate action.
The opening of Arad Bay Protected Area and Park was within the framework of the environmental strategy of the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE) to revive and rehabilitate natural sites in Bahrain and promote eco-tourism.
In 2010, His Majesty King Hamad’s personal representative and SCE president Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa opened the facility.
Costing at the time BD10 million, the park features a 3.3km-long, 3m-wide walkway.
“It has been 13 years since the place has seen a revamp or even a clean-up despite it being the only natural reserve park in Muharraq and one of the few in Bahrain,” said area councillor Abdulqader Al Sayed.
“It may be acceptable as it is but leaving it in its current state could affect its lifespan or popularity,” he added.
“The place needs maintenance, remodelling, cleaning and refurbishment.
“It needs a lot of work for it to be able to meet future public demand and that means new facilities such as environmental-friendly rides and sport equipment, a rubber-ground walkway and other recreational facilities.”
Council chairman Abdulaziz Al Naar said relevant authorities should be eager to come up with plans to revamp and develop the place every five years.
“Concepts change, life evolves and people’s tastes take things into a different direction on a regular basis and revamps and development should follow continuous assessment,” he said.
“Why can’t there be plans on hand by relevant authorities that happen in phases, if not every five years?
“Thirteen years is a very long period for nothing to be done, this inaction contributed to the downfall of the bay, which honestly could have been a much bigger natural landmark than it is.”
Councillors warned in April this year that Arad Bay may be abandoned unless complimentary free parking time was doubled.
Fees were introduced in December last year to park at the bay beyond the 40 minutes of free parking allowed.
The fees had been set at 300 fils an hour for the first three hours, with the fourth and fifth hours being free, and then 300 fils charged from the sixth hour onwards.
A full-day pass costs BD5 with BD3 payable for valet parking and BD1 per service for premium parking for up to two hours and 500fils for any additional hour.
Also in April this year, the state-owned Bahrain Car Parks Company (Amakin), managing the car parks at Arad Bay on behalf of the Oil and Environment Ministry, increased the complimentary free car parking time to one hour.
However, Muharraq Municipal Council members said at the time this was too little, too late, with the place seeing a steady decline in the number of visitors.
The council is still in negotiations for more free time.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))