There’s a massive new plan, er, ballooning in Yangon’s Kandawgyi Park.
The park, one of the city’s few expansive public spaces, looks set to get a new attraction: hot-air balloons.
City officials have said they plan to allow a private firm to use a 40,000 square feet lawn in the park for rides – on the condition that the set-up doesn’t cause too much disturbance to the natural environment.
The balloons won’t be allowed to take off and roam around, according to Hlaing Maw Oo from the Yangon City Development Committee. Rather, they will be tethered to a temporary site built by the firm, Myanmar Voyage International Tourism, she told the Irrawaddy.
“Construction of any permanent building on the site is not allowed,” she said. “We will not tolerate any damage to the trees, lanes and lake… We will only permit use of the lawn which does not have any big trees. Currently the space features topiary and is only used for taking photographs, not for the public to exercise.”
Public spaces in Yangon are few and far between, after previous military administrations sold off parks and sports grounds for development. Those that do exist have suffered from neglect – urban experts are calling for a massive upgrade to the walkways at Kandawgyi Park, for example.
“We are trying our best to preserve public spaces,” said Hlaing Maw Oo. “But when it comes to tourist attractions and public entertainment, we will allow development to some extent as long as it doesn’t affect the surrounding environment.”
Riiiiiiiight. No way hot-fricking-air balloons will do that. Nup.
