By Makutu Manneh
Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) is bracing up for the rejuvenation of the Tallinding Buffer Zone, officials of the council have indicated.
Already, the council has installed 120 solar lights and planted about 132 trees in the zone. The council has also renovated the zone’s toilet plus a changing room.
Officials also say KMC is working on reviving all the parks within the Kanifing Municipality.
“KMC parks and green spaces are dilapidated and these are areas where people should come to have some leisure and productive times in sports and events, but these parks are neglected for many years,” Mayor Ahmed Talib Bensouda.
Mayor Bensouda said the Buffer Zone is the biggest and most important zone in the Municipality which is why his council came up with the strategy to upgrade the zone.
He said the zone is a space where major events such as sports, political activities and other liveliness take place.
Bensouda said the solar lights are sustainable since after the installation, it would not cost them anything and it will light up the zone at night.
“The trees will bring more life to the zone,” he added.
Bensouda promised to personally contribute to the rehabilitation of the football posts at the zone.
Nyima Camara, Director of Planning at KMC, said they are reviving all parks in the municipality starting with the Buffer zone. She said the project will be a continuous one to improve and green up their parks.
Karamo Cessey, Councillor for Tallingding South, said their objective is to promote youth empowerment and rejuvenate their parks.
“It will start from the zone and later extend to other parks,” he said.
Cessey said 10 youths are already employed at the zone as security and gardeners.
He said Tallinding community hopes to see more development in the park. Nonetheless, he advised the residents of Tallinding to take ownership of the zone for its maintenance.
Buba Cessey, a Gambian returnee from Liberia, expressed his delight in the renovation of the zone.
Ceesay said he has a car washing centre at the zone since he returned home.
“This park provided a working place for me where I am now feeding my family,” he said.
