The Supreme Council for Environment to Repair Wooden Pedestrian Bridge in Arad Bay Park and Reserve

TDT | Manama     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Supreme Council for Environment (SCE) has launched a tender through the Tender Board website for the repair, maintenance, and rehabilitation of the wooden pedestrian bridge in Arad Bay Park and Reserve.

The bridge, situated in the northern part of the 13-year-old park, stretches approximately 200 meters long and 4 meters wide. It requires urgent repairs due to rapid deterioration, primarily in the wood and structural components caused by the interaction of saltwater with the structure and weather conditions.

Arad Bay was declared a nature reserve under Decree No. (4) of 2003. The park and reserve were officially opened in 2010 as part of the SCE's environmental strategy to revive and rehabilitate natural sites in the Kingdom of Bahrain and promote and encourage ecotourism.

The park boasts the largest public walkway in the Kingdom of Bahrain, providing an excellent opportunity for walking in an ideal natural environment. The project cost approximately 10 million dinars and includes a 3.3-kilometer-long, 3-meter-wide walking track.

Arad Bay is connected by four uniquely designed bridges, two of which are for pedestrians. The first connects the south of the bay to the Arad area, while the second connects the west of the bay to the area adjacent to the Grand Muharraq Park. Additionally, an internal bridge connects the two ends of the track parallel to the Arad-Muharraq Bridge, and another internal bridge is located near the "Mövenpick Hotel."

The Arad Bay Park and Reserve encompasses a unique, semi-enclosed marine reserve, primarily consisting of a unique intertidal environment that attracts vital organisms that contribute significantly to the marine ecosystem. Additionally, it is home to various resident and migratory waterbird species. The reserve serves as a natural nursery for juvenile fish, plankton, and marine algae, whose stocks are replenished by the tidal movement coming from the bridge's outlet to the sea.