The Council of Ministers in what is seen as a turnaround has given the nod to establish a recreational park in Al-Wafra agricultural area, days after issuing a decision to cancel the permission to hold recreational activities in the Al-Wafra and Al-Abdali agricultural areas.
A local Arabic daily has learned, the Council has assigned the ministerial committee supervising the follow-up and the implementation of major development projects, and the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources to coordinate with the concerned authorities to follow up the exploitation of the site that has been allocated by the Municipal Council.
At a time when demands are increasing to open the atmosphere for entertainment in the country and to exploit agricultural areas to attract visitors — citizens and residents — who are eager to spend quiet times in the nature away from the urban hectic activity, a number of farmers considered that the establishment of this recreational park will serve domestic tourism. The farmers reiterated the establishment of recreational activities does not conflict with food security, saying “attracting visitors will open new outlets for the sale of national crops and products.”
Documents obtained by the daily showed that the planned park will include fish lakes, cinemas, local and international restaurants and cafeterias, in addition to water sports, open theaters, cultural centers, sports fields, accommodation cabins, a moving train, and others.
An informed source revealed to Al-Qabas that the ministerial committee was briefed on the measures taken by the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources, regarding ways to use the land allocated to it for the amusement park, located in the Wafra agricultural area, in accordance with the decisions issued by it during its meeting on June 16, 2022, and to assign the authority to provide it with visuals regarding the exploitation of the site as an amusement park, in addition to an executive summary showing the measures taken, what will be taken, the necessary timetables, and ways to involve the private sector and initiators in this regard with the aim of developing the site for the purposes of entertainment for citizens, provided that the authority provides an integrated statement.
He explained that the committee took a decision at its meeting held on June 30, 2022, to assign the authority to hold a coordination meeting with the “Ministry of Finance, the Municipality, the Public-Private Partnership Projects Authority, the National Fund for Small and Medium Enterprises Development, and the authorities it deems appropriate”, to develop the areas.
An integrated plan regarding the means of exploiting the site, provided that it includes the following:
— The unified vision of the concerned parties, and the recommendations resulting from the meeting.
— The timetables required for the stages of the executive plan, up to the stage of completion.
— The extent to which the private sector, public benefit associations and initiators can be involved to contribute to achieving the desired goals.
The source indicated that the committee, at its meeting on July 21, 2022, reviewed the paper submitted by the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources, on ways to use the land allocated to it to establish a recreational park in the Wafra area.
After discussion, the committee decided to assign the authority to coordinate with the “Ministry of Finance, the Kuwait Municipality, the Public-Private Partnership Projects Authority, the National Fund for Small and Medium Enterprises Development, and the parties it deems appropriate” to develop appropriate perceptions about ways to exploit the site.