A new Flag Park has been launched in order to reinforce the membership and the spirit of the community and nationals; the related project is located in Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City. Still located in front of the Pindeshwar Temple on the borderline of Wards No 14 and 15, the park was declared officially open by the Mayor of Bharatpur Harka Sampang and Deputy Mayor Aindrabrim Begha. This development has been made as part of the process of improving the quality of the public domains and increasing the level of tolerance of multicultural values in the city.
The planned project of the Flag Park has been under development for several months and was created as a result of the cooperation of the local government and non-governmental organizations. The land for the park was donated by Vidyapith, an educational institution, in order to underscore the role of a public private partnership in the creation of urban development projects. The fact that the park is situated in two different wards in the city has a symbolic meaning; one ward supports the other since they are in different city regions.
In the inauguration ceremony, Mayor Sampang pointed out that Flag Park is an inspiring icon of unity and identity for the locality. He said there is a need to foster social interaction through availing environments that put people together due to certain recent occurrences that led to social conflicts in Dharan. Sadly however, the mayor lost hope that his park would provide focus to the people and be a place for any citizen of the town to come together.
In her speech, Deputy Mayor Begha also noted that Flag Park could be very useful for education. She proposed that it can be an excellent facility for conducting teaching and learning outside, where the youth in particular can gain knowledge on history, ethnic culture, and emblem of this country. The deputy mayor too thanked everyone who participated in the project and described the successful delivery of the project as the outcome of cooperation, and thus recommended it as a template when Dharan residents pursue other projects in the city.
The park has a large immaculate pole on which the national flag of Nepal is hoisted with the properly manicured business, green lawns and sitting arrangements. The building concept is to replicate but also combine modern features with Nepali architectures and connect with the importance and existence of the Pindeshwar Temple nearby. Regional artists were used to develop these ornaments, depicting the culturally identified features of the Dharani and other regions in the Koshi zone.
Residents interviewed during the inauguration proclaimed the idea of the new public area visionary. Some entice it as part of the progress in the process of making change for the better in the organization and the environments of Dharan. Breaking it down, various businessmen and businesswomen operating enterprises close to the park believe that the premise will be able to lure visitors and perhaps spur the growth of the economy in the particular region. Some of the residents also said that the park area could be used for cultural programs and National Day functions to build up the communal spirit among people.
The event of launching the Flag Park coincides with a time when Dharan has been facing problems in frame of social inclusion. Some of the recent calamities have brought to people’s attention the importance of providing places and programs for coming together as different groups. This is due to social and cultural differences thus local government officials expect the park to be a common ground that everyone can visit.
Environmental factors were also taken into account when planning and designing the park. Some of the plants used in landscaping are those that can grow with limited water supply, a measure that complements Dharan’s campaign for a sustainable city. At night, we have made some lighting by using solar systems because at night the park is also open to people with lots of security problems; hence, we have provided reduced energy consumption electricity to light the park at night.
As the city of Dharan developed and extended, infrastructures such as the Flag Park indicate a willingness to improve the quality of life and enhance the balance between the human and the built environment in those cities. The effectiveness of this program may extend the construction of other such community-orientated complexes in other districts of the city. This symbolic site, as well as a practical ground for the concept of Flag Park, helps Dharan and its people to work towards the desire of unison and prosperity, overcoming various odds.
