Relax - People relax at newly opened theme park

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FOUR days ago, a water theme park opened up in Gaza City.

There are water slides, pools, canals, little pedal boats, a cafe, a restaurant and even a traditional corner where you can sit on rugs under a huge cool tent, sip some tea or coffee made on an open fire listening to some classical instruments.

Named the "Crazy Water Park", the park is made partly from scrap metal, stones and wood from war-destroyed buildings while the rest of the material needed was brought in from Egypt through the illegal tunnels.

Construction took only six months.

"This project is very important. Gaza is closed and people are under enormous stress. The economic situation is so hard for the people.

"This park is a form of escape. People need a chance to escape from the stress. We brought 'air' to the people," said the park's finance manager Ayman Barawi.

But it does not come cheap. It costs 10 shekels (S$3.64) just to get into the park. If you want to use the water slide, it is another 5 shekels and for the pool, that is another 20 shekels.

"I think anyone can pay the 10 shekels. Compared to other places in Gaza, this is not too costly," said Ayman.

From the look of it yesterday, there were enough families out at the theme park for their family day out.

So far, two thousand have visited the park since it opened on Wednesday.

Gaza is by the Mediterrean Sea and people here love the water. On weekends, the beach is packed with families.

Unlike the theme park though, the beach is free.

But Ayman thinks there would be a constant flow of visitors to the Crazy Water Park because "people like clear water not sea water".

Gaza has been under siege for three years now.

Israel and Egypt which share borders with Gaza closed off its borders and placed the tiny area under blockade in mid-2007 when Hamas took control here.

And on Dec 27, 2008, Israel launched an extensive military strike on Gaza for three weeks that killed 1,400 and destroyed a number of homes and buildings - most of which have yet to be rebuilt.

While the north and south remain in a state of rubble, Gaza City itself which did not suffer as much damage, has been cleaned up.

There is now an even more stark contrast between "the haves" and the "have-nots".

Over 80% of the people are living off food aid, about 70% are unemployed.

Yet obviously there are also the rich and the new rich - the new rich being those who made their money from businesses through the illegal tunnels.

Ayman said a fact that should not be overlooked about Crazy Water is that it provides employment to 106 people and also benefits 80 others who supply food, vegetables and other services to the park.

The park employees get paid US$250 (S$344.35) to US$300 a month - which is not a lot because most are sole breadwinners and have to support their extended families - and prices of goods here and the cost of living is high because of the siege.

Ayman said that is the going market rate for employees these days because there is "no work and no new jobs".

"Before, they could get about US$500 but these days there is just no demand for labour," he added.

The theme park hopes to break even in five years.

"People are always looking for new things," he said.

People relax at newly opened theme park

The Star | Mon, Jun 21 2010

The park is made partly from scrap metal, stones and wood from war-destroyed buildings while the rest of the material needed was brought in from Egypt through the illegal tunnels.

Keywords

gaza city

water theme park