Islamabad: Lake View Park: By the lakeside, acres of entertainment

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Imran Naeem Ahmad
ISLAMABAD: Already a big draw, Islamabad’s newest facility – the Lake View Park – continues to undergo development as part of the second phase under which a string of exciting new features are to be added.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA), having beautifully developed 100 acres of the park along the periphery of Rawal Lake, has extensive plans chalked out for its extension further.

Officials of CDA told Daily Times on Wednesday that another 100 acres of land had been taken up for development, in order to make it a venue that has all the ingredients of public entertainment.

Dr Faisal Awan, Director Project Management Office, said that facilities like go-karting, water sports, rock climbing and a children’s park and a whole lot more had been planned. “We want to make this a truly entertaining public place,” he said.

Already the park draws hundreds of people who appear quite pleased with the new facility – transformed from a thick jungle through which once ran a dilapidated road. There were no lights and no other facilities.

However, today the first phase stands out as a marvelous piece of creativity although some people claim that there is too much of concrete used along the banks.

“The vast concrete stretches should be made to look shorter by planting trees and shrubs,” suggested Umair Qureshi, a visitor.

But officials insist that flaws if any that surface from time to time would be rectified as work continues alongside on the second phase.

“We are aware that Islamabad should not be branded as a dull city and that we must make it more attractive, particularly in terms of resorts and public places,” said one official, adding that developing a complete entertainment zone would help erase the label of the town being dull.

The authorities also plan to have dancing fountains at the lake besides also establishing a water park and a bird aviary. Work on the aviary to be built at a cost of Rs 64 million is under way for sometime now and should eventually be a great addition.

There are plans to procure birds at a cost of Rs 10 million from such far off places as Australia, Singapore, Japan and South Africa.

Officials said that the free-flying birds in the aviary would be provided medical and quarantine facilities besides shelter areas and sunlight bulbs to protect them from frost and chill during winter and rainy season.

Its other features would include a hanging bridge between two observation gazeboes over the lake, tame bird display areas, a souvenir shop, walkways, observation towers, elevated pathways and a brooder and incubation room.

The CDA is also currently engaged with the construction of a train track that would take visitors around on what will be a 30-minute trip. The duration would to be extended as the park grows. Two colourful trains have already been imported from Italy and are currently being used only for short rides.

The park’s major three-year final phase would see the development of a botanical garden, beaches, jogging tracks and a drive-in cinema. This development would be around the lake’s perimeter.

Clearly, the Lake View Park has all the potential of becoming Islamabad’s entertainment hub in less than two years from now.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...08_pg11_11