Bahrain's biggest park in Muharraq has partially reopened to the public despite an ongoing ‘prehistoric war’ in court over the famous dinosaurs now under wraps.
A contract held by an investor administering the Muharraq Grand Park (Alkubra) was terminated in August 2022 due to alleged breaches to its terms and conditions.
The investor, however, was allowed to continue running the park until the end of that year, before the facility was shut down due to an ongoing legal wrangle with the Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Ministry.
The new-look park, revamped at a cost of BD3.18 million, opened to the public in December 2021 following a 15-year closure.
It featured a children’s play area, shaded family areas and a 1km walkway, along with 22 pieces of physical fitness equipment. With parking to accommodate 550 cars there were also 33 CCTV cameras installed across the garden to help keep it safe and secure.
Other features included 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 jojoba trees were also been planted, along with more than 1,000 date palms and ornamental palms.
“Portions of the park were leased to an investor in December 2021 but due to alleged ‘serious contractual breaches’ that, in its opinion, led to ‘damage and sabotage’, the contract was terminated a few months later, alleged Muharraq Municipality director-general Khalid Al Gallaf.
“The municipality doesn’t ban public activities but as a precautionary procedure, and in some parts to avoid further destruction, we temporarily halted usage,” he added.
“Those parts were integral to the filed lawsuit as we seek compensation for damages.
“Annual maintenance work to the park costs BD8,500 and there is no budget allocated to cover it from the municipality’s coffers, so we have opted to wait.”
Mr Al Gallaf, who was responding to a question by area councillor Abdulqader Al Sayed asking for an update on the park’s situation, said equipment and signage belonging to the investor remain in the park awaiting co-ordination with an expert appointed by court.
“We can’t touch anything of contention and through co-ordination with the court appointed expert we will remove them in line with rules and regulations,” said Mr Al Gallaf.
Meanwhile, Muharraq Municipal Council chairman Abdulaziz Al Naar said legal battles often take a very long time to settle.
“This park has gone through several setbacks over the years and it is time for something long-term to happen, of course after the court’s verdict,” he said.
“It is good that the park is partially reopened, but it should offer so much more. Hopefully, new bidding investors would woo us with something that is attractive, innovative and new.”
The ministry outlined in August 2022 that the contract termination decision followed an alleged ‘deterioration of services and facilities’.
The GDN reported in May of the same year that a child was injured and suffered wounds to her legs while playing on a ride at ‘Boulevard 202’ in the park.
The ride, shut down immediately following the incident, was only reopened when a group of experts, from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, determined that the ride did not pose any danger to users.
The long-neglected park was closed in 2006 and two attempts to involve private investors in its revival – in 2007 and 2012 – failed.
The park was closed after it became a breeding ground for vermin and snakes.
Plans to turn it into a ‘miniature Disneyland’ announced in 2007 were scrapped after the Kuwaiti investor involved pulled out, citing losses incurred during the global financial crisis.
In 2012, another investor offered 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 Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Ministry to cancel the contract after work on the project failed to materialise over a three-year period.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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