His name is Robert Moses who was nicknamed “The Master Builder.” Many unanimously agree that he is one of the most influential urban engineers the world has seen in the 20th century. Born in 1888, the person has shaped New York City by the imagination and vision of his own, believing that a city should have tree-lined streets and parks instead of stacking several skyscrapers.
Just as Moses built New York City in a way that reflects his personal ideas and philosophy, different nations are now building and developing a number of parks, especially in connection with global warming, for the convenience of their citizens and beauty of their cities.
It is said that Addis Ababa, about 130 years old, is relatively large in surface area, but not in beauty as such. It is hard to say that the city, which is Africa’s capital and also the seat of international organizations, and hosts several continental and international conferences, has beautiful parks and green spaces in a way that reflects its name, reputation and age.
The City has recently begun implementing “Beautifying Sheger Project “ inspired by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, to make it convenient for its dwellers, attractive for visitors and a competitive city.
Alem Gizaw, a resident of Bole sub-city of Addis Ababa, is one of those who feel sad for the city passed long years without having beautiful parks and green areas where its residents and guests relief their mind, recreate and meditate or listen to their inner feelings.
Parks and Green Areas in the Township make residents spend their time in the open air, or simply relax in the midst of lush trees, said Alem. In particular, she emphasized that it strengthens the common social value by adjusting personalized social relations.
“As they are open to everyone, from baby to adult, they generally contribute to creating a healthy and happy population. They will be a source of income if they are used economically, and capable to mitigate the nation’s current headaches via job creation,” Alem underscored.
In addition to fostering interaction between parks and green areas in the center of the city, Alem pointed out that it is possible to host a variety of artistic workshops, concerts and theater events. She also said that the initiative of the Prime Minister to make Addis Ababa begin benefiting from this success made her happy and his actions are remarkable.
Dr. Daniel Lerebo, a dean of the College of Urban and Civil Engineering at Civil Service University and lecturer at Addis Ababa University, shares the thoughts of Alem. Above all, it is regretting that Addis Ababa, the capital of Africa, which hosts many continental and international conferences, has stayed forgotten until now without having development projects which are convenient for both residents and guests, he noted.
“Many of the philosophies and other knowledge that the Greeks had contributed to the world were generated through discussing and learning one another by gathering in green open spaces and parks.” Dr. Daniel pointed out that urban parks and open spaces are not only an entertainment option but also origins of universal concepts. These safe parks and green areas modernize and adorn urbanization by attracting visitors to the city.
Dr. Daniel has answers to questions about utilizing large areas for luxurious purpose like parks and green areas in the middle of the city especially where there is limited land. According to him, the world now has the option of putting more people in a smaller space by building apartments in the city instead of widening it. This option has made it easier for cities to provide wider areas for parks, and green spaces without being congested. New York is a prime example in this regard.
“New York City is recognized as one of the most congested cities in the world. Regardless of this fact, the world’s largest central park and 341 hectares of open area is located in the city,” Dr. Daniel said. This is one of the reasons why the city is a tourist attraction. It is wrong to see their significance in light of the vast landscape of parks and green spaces, he stressed.
Yirdaw Geremew, Director of River Basins and Green Areas Development Agency at Addis Ababa City Administration, agrees that beauty and parks are among top priorities for a city to become competitive, convenient to residents and attractive for visitors.
Yirdaw pointed out that the value of the project is high not only in terms of creating conducive environment for its residents and creating healthy and productive citizens, but also for tourism enhancement. He assured that the agency is ready to cooperate with all that is necessary to achieve this exciting task.
The Ethiopian Herald January 14, 2020
BY BACHA ZEWDIE
