Fun seekers in Kaduna metropolis are happy over the transformation of Kofar Gamji Park. Following its new look, residents are trooping into the park, located along Shooting Range Road, to have unrestricted fun.
Daily Trust Saturday recalls that the park had lost its glory as it became a meeting point for drug addicts and miscreants.
As a result of the horrifying nature of the park, owned by the Kaduna State Government, many families had stopped patronising it as it was capable of having a bad influence on their wards.
But today, following a 25-year concession between the present administration and Splash Spark Limited, Kofar Gamji, or Hassan Usman Katsina Park as it was formerly known, is bubbling with activities.
Our correspondents, who visited the park, saw quite a number of children enjoying themselves in the sliding pool, water fountain and a kid pool.
Despite undergoing repairs and retaining some facilities from its past, it fascinates visitors with thrilling experience.
With an expanded lawn that provides comfort for picnics and relaxation, the park also has trees that protect visitors from the sun. Also, the continuous flow of Kaduna River provides a serene environment for fun seekers. These features have made it an ideal venue for birthdays, picnics and family gatherings.
It was gathered that before the concession, visitors paid N100 as entrance fee, but with the transformation, fun seekers have to pay N500 each to enter the park.
Amusement rides, including a carousel, swing and a lodge, have all created avenues for new structures.
Work is ongoing at the entrance of the park as a scaffold can be seen, which partially blocked a large banner that welcomes visitors. But there’s a banner stating the prices to pay to access the park and pools. It costs N1,500 to have a ride on the sliding pool and N1,000 for the fountain and kids pool.
Children in the pools were on life jackets as precaution, under the watchful eyes of their parents. The sliding pool gets the most attention because most children there were above four years of age. Others were seen using their feet as paddle to float from one destination to another.
The park has a zoo with animals like lion, ostrich, cheetah and crocodile. The animals are caged in another section of the park. To avoid congestion, visitors are made to park their vehicles outside the gate, unlike before when visitors were allowed to park inside the premises.
Other side attractions introduced in the park include a horse riding and snooker joint.
The stage where new artistes converge to promote their songs is now a shadow of itself as new structures are gradually taking over the place.
Apart from the safety barrier on the Lord Lugard Foot Bridge that links the divided park, Daily Trust Saturday observed that the park does not have any fence or written instructions to warn visitors against unauthorised access to the river.
Some parents who spoke to our correspondents expressed mixed feelings on the new state of the park.
Sadiya Emmanuel, who brought her children to have a good time during the weekend, said she got to know the park through a friend.
While expressing satisfaction with the transformation of park, she urged the management to build more structures.
“A friend of mine informed me of the park when the pictures popped up on the internet. So I came to try it; and I must say that I am really impressed in the short time I have spent here. Other things need to be put in place in terms of structures like restaurant and modern swings because the ones they have are now old and not in good shape. Also, I do not think it is safe for children,” she said.
Halima Haruna, who rekindled her interest in the park after a long absence, praised the management for the new look, adding, “The park used to be my favourite spot to spend my weekends, but I stopped coming after I experienced a fight between rival gangs.
“I am here to have fun with my kids. The place is beautiful and comfortable to hang out, unlike how it was. When I heard there was a pool, I came with the kids to have a great experience.
“The pools are intriguing, and you know that children love playing with water. When they are through with the pool, I will take them to the zoo to see the animals,” she said.
She said there’s no park in northern Nigeria that would surpass the fun obtained in Splash Park, adding that once work is done on the infrastructure, it would be more interesting.
Narrating why she stopped coming to the park she said, “It was not easy because of what I experienced. There used to be fighting and confusion in the park. You had to be careful and conscious of your belongings or it would be easily snatched from you. Such experience made me to stop coming until I heard of its transformation.”
Although Dorcas Jatau, a mother of four, expressed satisfaction in the new look of the park, she lamented that the prices demanded for one to access the facilities were high; hence she was made to spend more than she budgeted.
“We paid gate fees to come in; that is alright, but they should have allowed us to enjoy the facilities at low prices. The prices of the pools are expensive; you have to pay different amounts of money to access each pool. And the kids want to try all of them. I came here for them to have fun and the decision not to agree to their demands will make them cry. At the end, I will spend a huge amount of money.
“I did not plan for the expenses, but when my children saw the facilities they all wanted to enjoy it.
“I really appreciate the zoo. When we came I took my kids to see the animals. The environment is relaxing and I enjoy sitting under the shade. It has been a worthwhile experience,’’ she said.
