By Emmanuel Gatera
The target for the launch was July 2021, but visitors will
have to wait a little longer.
According to the Rwanda Environment Management Authority
(REMA), plans to launch the park are underway.
"The building of the park is finished. We are now
planning an official launch," Juliet Kabera, the Director-General of REMA
said.
The exact date of the official launch or when the park will
be accessible to the public is yet to be disclosed.
The project was financed by Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA) to a
tune of Rwf 5.4 billion.
It was designed in 2015 and works started in 2016. The goal
was for the works to be done in two phases with a completion date in 2020.
However, according to REMA, there were delays because of
redesigning the project and change of the contractor.
Nevertheless, the construction is complete, and the public
eagerly awaits access to enjoy the activities the park has to offer.
Environmentalists too are happy with the project, saying
that it will help conserve the environment especially for a rapidly growing
city like Kigali.
"The formation of an eco-park in Kigali was necessary
due to the rapid development," Egide Nkuranga, an environmentalist, told
The New Times.
He added that in addition to educating people about
conserving nature, the park would also be a welcome addition to the sustainable
tourism offers that the City of Kigali presents.
"Ecotourism involves responsible traveling to natural
areas, conserving the environment, and improving the wellbeing of the local
people," Nkuranga said, pointing out that Kigali's adoption of ecotourism
is more proof that the government's policy of environmental conservation is
working.
"Most developed cities in the world have adopted
ecotourism, this shows how our country has evolved both in the tourism sector
and environmental conservation," he said.
Once operational, the park is also expected to boost the
incomes of people who live around the park.
Both the Rwanda Development Board, which oversees tourism,
and the City of Kigali declined to comment on the park until it is officially
launched.
The Nyandungu Park is part of a growing list of recreational
facilities in Kigali that are set to transform city life.
Once it opens, the public will enjoy the network of paths to
walk and ride bicycles on, boardwalks and bridges in marshy areas, nature
viewing areas, bird hides, trails, restaurants and picnic areas.
The Park will also be connected to Wi-Fi and CCTV to ensure
the security of visitors.
And for REMA, in addition to Nyandungu, there are other
wetlands in the city that will be restored.
"The wetlands restoration project will not stop on
Nyandungu Park. We will further progress to other wetlands as well," said
Kabera, REMA's Director-General.
The contractors behind the project include Afrilandscapes
Ltd Gasabo 3D Design Ltd (G3D), and ASTRIK International Ltd.
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