Sittwe park to get new lease on life

By DMG 08 Mar 2022

DMG Newsroom
8 March 2022, Sittwe

Nandar Wun Park, near the village of Kyar Ma Thauk in Sittwe Township, will be leased to the private sector and turned into a recreational space for the public, Arakan State military council member U Than Tun told DMG.

A decision has not yet been made regarding whom the land will be rented to, he added.

“There have been cases of timber lost from the park because the park has not been under proper care. We will create a recreational space for the public. We expect to start the work before the rainy season after selecting the developer,” said U Than Tun.

Necessary preparations are being made to turn the park into a recreational space, said Oo Than Myint, director of the Forest Department.

“The park already has lakes and creeks. We will add slides to them, and renovate the existing skating rink. We will upgrade it for both children and adults to enjoy,” he said.

The council has sought expressions of interest from local businesspeople, and is planning to lease under a one-year contract.

Sittwe resident U Moe Kyaw welcomed the plan, but stressed that any admission fee should be affordable for the general public.

“It is good to have a recreational space for children and adults. But it is important not to commercialise it. And the tender should be invited openly, and the contract should not be awarded secretly to cronies,” said U Moe Kyaw.

The military has formed a committee consisting of officials from the Arakan State Forest Department and other relevant departments, and has tasked it with assessing park conditions.

The park, one of a limited number of recreational spaces in the Arakan State capital Sittwe, has been closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It covers just over 100 acres, includes small lakes and is home to various flora and fauna.