By Business Reporter– One of the country’s leading property companies, WestProp, has announced a significant investment of $1 million for the rehabilitation of a near-dead wetland at Millennium Park in Borrowdale West. 

This initiative aims to transform the Wetland into a nature park, fostering environmental sustainability and providing recreational amenities for local communities.

Unveiling the ambitious project at Royal Harare Golf Course Thursday, WestProp CEO Mr Ken Sharpe said they are committed to rejuvenating the Wetland, despite recent land ownership changes. 

Sharpe stated, “We remain committed to fulfilling our dream to rejuvenate the Wetland. Hence, we have invited you so that you can give your input to the project. We have set aside US$1 million for the project, and the designs are now available for public input.”

Aligned with the company’s “live, work, shop, and play” theme, the project aims to provide Pokugara and Millennium Heights residents with recreational amenities within a gated community. 

The wetland rehabilitation includes re-engineering, reintroducing biodiversity and aquatic life, and developing the land into an eco-friendly tourism facility featuring walkways, bicycle tracks, bird viewing sites, and fishing and canoeing facilities.

WestProp, an environmentally conscious organisation, emphasises the project’s ecological, economic, and social benefits, including managing stormwater, reducing flooding, improving water quality, supporting biodiversity, and creating a nature park for outdoor activities.

Citing research from www.sciencedirect.com, highlighting the cooling effects of urban wetland parks, Sharpe positions the Millennium Park project as crucial for environmental sustainability and a symbol of ecological city development.

He noted, “This will be a major attraction when Zimbabwe hosts COP 25 in 2025, demonstrating the friendship between nature and human beings. We are prepared to work with all like-minded people to make this project a success.”

WestProp acknowledged the role of government agencies in averting potential disasters and expressed appreciation for holding culprits accountable for unauthorised developments that could harm the Wetland. 

The company reiterates its commitment to preserving the Borrowdale Vlei through coordinated and sustainable measures per its environmental management plan.