Vodafone to build kids’ play area at Sheraton park
Originally published in Gulf Times on April 20, 2011
Vodafone Qatar and Doha Municipality yesterday signed an agreement, where the country’s second telecom operator will build a children’s play area at the Sheraton Park.
The agreement was signed at the Knowledge Enrichment Centre of Dohaland located adjacent to the Sheraton Park, which will, when renovations are completed in four months’ time, have a 1,100sqm of play area and nine “newest and most innovative” rides for children in the age-group of 2-15, officials said.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Vodafone Qatar acting CEO John Tombleson and Doha Municipality director Engineer Mohamed al-Sayed.
Earlier, the telecom operator raised QR2.5mn in Ramadan of 2010, when it contributed one dirham towards the funding for every local call its customers made during a campaign dubbed as “Get Together”. The local call promotion campaign, with 50% off of national talktime, ended on March 31, 2011.
UAE-based SSK Entreprises will be leading the construction work at the Sheraton Park, while adhering to American and UK safety standards in an attempt to make it a safe experience for all children.
For example, special tarmac will be used for both easy accessibility for wheelchair-bound and in case a child falls.
Tombleson said: “We are thrilled that more than QR2.5mn has been raised towards building the first Vodafone public park. Our commitment to building the park is very much in line with our purpose of ‘making a world of difference for all’ the people in Qatar.”
“Our customers were part of making this happen through every local call they made.”
Doha Municipality’s al-Sayed pointed out that the MoU was in line with the municipality’s strategy and plans to interact and connect with the public.
“We don’t just want the Doha Municipality to confine itself to simple basic services, but are committed to serving the public in innovative ways,” Eng. al-Sayed said, while adding that other companies in Qatar can follow Vodafone Qatar’s suit.
“We welcome Vodafone’s plans to develop and build the new children’s playground, and we hope this will set an example to other companies in how they can serve the public and develop the society for the general good. We’d like to thank Vodafone for their role in serving the public,” he added.
Speaking to Gulf Times, Vodafone Qatar’s head of Corporate and Institutional Affairs Eiman al-Ansari said the initiative forms part of national strategy’s programme until 2017.
“The design of the playground will be 360degrees offering parents maximum liberty to keep an eye, as well as allowing the children to play while spread out,” al-Ansari said.
According to her, the terms of MoU maintain that the land will remain the property of Doha Municipality, while Vodafone, after finishing work, will “gift it to the general public”.
“Now the Municipality will remove its entire staff and give it to us for renovation in two weeks’ time. Work is expected to take 3-4 months, after which it will be thrown open to the general public once again,” al-Ansari said.
Photocaption: Vodafone’s Tombleson and Doha Municipality’s al-Sayed shake hands after signing the MoU yesterday
As Published
