There hasn’t been much destruction in the “Children’s park” of the Arabkir community. It’s amazing that the oligarchs and officals who love to build cafes haven’t destroyed the park and built a cafe there.
Perhaps it’s because it’s not in the heart of the city. But in the past couple of years, when there was no space left in Yerevan and there were cafes on the sidewalks and in parks, it was time to destruct the children’s park. Construction began on the Papazyan street and the residential villas near the park a couple of years ago and the residents of that area claim that it was illegal. The contractors infrormed citizens that they were going to construct a sport/complex there. They tore down many trees in the park. The residents complained many times and didn’t let them finish the construction. However, two weeks ago some people came to the park, brought some construction equipment and started destructing the semi-constructed building. The residents got happy, thinking that they would get rid of the old, clean the place and the park would look just like it did before. Just a couple of days later, they started destroying the land near the semi-building. It was then that the residents understood that a new construction was underway. They opposed, complained to the Arabkir community head and stopped the construction. During the past couple of years, the residents found out that the person who bought the land and started the construction was president of the “Artsakh Patriotic Union” and National Assembly MP Hamlet Harutyunyan. Then, seeing that the residents weren’t going to let him start construction there, he sold the land. As mentioned above, new construction began there two weeks ago. This time it was foreseen to build a nine-story elite building with three entrances. Now the residents find out that the contractor is some man by the name of Ashot Tonoyan-head of the Kanaker-Zeytun community branch of the “Prosperous Armenia” party. They also found out that A. Tonoyan’s “Tonus” company is constructing an elite building in Aygedzor for leader of the “Prosperous Armenia” party Gagik Tsarukyan. A. Tonoyan is considered the contracting correspondent of Tsarukyan or simply, his contractor. It’s quite possible that the owner of that building is Gagik Tsarukyan.
The residents organized a demonstration in the park on June 30 and invited head of the Arabkir community Hovhannes Shahinyan. The community head promised them to make Tonoyan destroy the building and return the park to the residents. The residents also informed Shahinyan that some cruel people are drying the trees, fires break out from time to time and the whole park is dirty. In addition, in 2003, some company by the name of “Miracle Theme Park” INC rented the children’s park for 99 years (until 2102) and has been obligated to clean the park and turn it into a park for the children. So, it turns out that the renter not only hasn’t fulfilled his promise to clean the park (he had promised to turn the park into a miraculous children’s park), but has also permitted ruining the park into ruins. People visiting the park assure that the park is polluted, trees are dried, fires break out on purpose in order to start construction. There used to be a bar/restaurant in the depths of the park which, according to the residents, belonged to former head of the Arabkir community Levon Harutyunyan. The visitors say that they have witnessed the construction of the restaurant when the constructors took out the slabs of the alleys and placed them in front of the entrance. They showed the destructed alleys, which had been burnt. Rumor has it that the “Miracle Theme Park” INC belongs to L.Harutyunyan and head of the communal department Hrair Antonyan, when Harutyunyan was community head.
The residents living near the park invited the gatherers to take a walk around the park to see how dirty it is, the dried trees and the burnt areas. While I was there, two workers were watering the trees. The constant visitors of the park say that they are doing that on purpose to show that they take care of the park.
“During the 90s, when it was dark and cold, our sons and husbands used to stay in the park all night to make sure nobody cut the trees. This park is the only place for our children to relax. There is nowhere else in the city to relax.,” says one of the women.
The Arabkir community head informed me that he has heard the complaints of the residents, sued “Miracle Theme Park” INC and considered the 99-year leasing contract invalid by the decision of the Economic Court of Armenia. H. Shahinyan promised to improve conditions in the park through the means of the community, build sport fields and turn it into a sport/resort.
Citizens of Arabkir have sent protest/letters to the President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan, Chairman of the National Assembly Tigran Torosyan and Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan. They are asking them to help solve this issue and prohibit the destruction of their only resort. The residents said that they were even ready to go out and stand up for the park every day.