A new 650 meter road meant to reduce traffic to Tân Sơn Nhất Airport will be built through Gia Định Park, resulting in the removal of hundreds trees.
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Since January 6, houses on both Hồng Hà and Bạch Đằng Streets have been torn down for the construction of the road which will connect Hổng Hà Street to the Nguyễn Thái Sơn Roundabout, according to VnExpress.
Gia Định Park is the main site of the construction project and 13,000 square meters of the park are set to be removed for the intersecting road.
“Trees which are in the way of the construction will be felled”, says Ngô Bá An, Vice director of The Number 1 Urban Traffic Management Section (a part of the city’s Traffic Department).
With 63,000 square meters of greenspace, Gia Định Park is one of the scarce green zones left in the city. Home to thousands of trees (some very old) it also offers 4,000 square meters designated as a free playground.
According to HCMC’s Traffic Department, the park route was chosen in order to reduce the number of households that would need to be cleared on Trường Sơn and Nguyễn Thái Sơn Streets, which was the initial plan back in 1999.
