After gaining fame as a city of culture, Sharjah will soon embark on a Dh70-million plan to create a new focal point for art. The project will unfold along the banks of the Al Qasba Canal.
The site will be transformed into a huge heritage-themed complex complete with theatres, a giant observation wheel, shopping malls and galleries with a traditional appearance. The project will be completed in 2005.
"The site will host several attractions, including the Eye of the Emirates, which will be the highest observation wheel in the region," said Shaikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, chairwoman of Qasba Development Authority, when she visited the canalside yesterday.
The area, known as Qanat Al Qasba, will be an important place "allowing the world to experience Arab heritage", with cultural understanding and appreciation at its heart, she said.
"A circus, running for a period of 15 months with a different show every quarter, accommodating 1,000 people, will add to the unique features," she said.
Al Qasba Authority was created by His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.
Qanat Al Qasba will include a 400-seat auditorium, Masrah Al Qasba, located in the centre of the North Quarter, which will play host to theatrical and cinematic performances. As for the South Quarter, a spacious 1,000-square-metre exhibition space, spanning two floors, will stage events by artists.
Qanat Al Qasba will also include 58 shops and restaurants in the north and south quarters.
Traditional abras will ferry people around on the canal while the adjacent lagoons will offer a range of water-borne activities, including pedal boats and sailing boats for adventurous visitors.
Shaikh Tarek Bin Faisal Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Board, said the project will be the largest leisure real-estate development built on a canal in the entire region. The Eye of the Emirates will be the largest observation wheel in the Middle East. Costing Dh25 million, the wheel will be 60 metres tall and will offer extraordinary views over Sharjah and Dubai. It will hold 42 air-conditioned gondolas allowing 336 people to ride the wheel at one time.
The second key feature will be circus performances, each running for three months. The first will be a specially tailored performance for the region with an Arabian theme that is based on the tale 1001 Nights.
A Winter Street Market with more than 100 stalls will be line each side of the canal, featuring a blend of creative and collectible, old and new. On one side, artisans from across the Gulf will be joined by master artisans from five regional centres: Shiraz in Iran, Khan Al Khalili in Egypt, Fez in Morocco, Istanbul in Turkey and Zok in Beirut.
On the other side, book and art sellers, similar to those seen in the old streets of Paris, will display their work, offering a time-honoured trading culture that coexists with artistic talent.
Gulf News
