Elitist club to become community centre

ISLAMABAD: Following a Supreme Court order, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) plans to change the Islamabad Citizen’s Club to the Islamabad Community Centre.

Ramzan Sajid, CDA spokesperson, told The Express Tribune on Wednesday that the authority was considering various options, but a community centre seemed to be the most popular option. A final decision, however, would be taken in a board meeting next week. Initially, it had appeared that membership of the Citizen’s Club would be unaffordable for most citizens.

The original plan had included a 475-seat auditorium, conference halls, restaurants, a library, swimming pools, fitness centres and tennis courts, among other facilities.

But after the court verdict, the authority seems to have changed its tune. “The project should be one of public welfare, which will provide equal opportunities to all citizens of Islamabad,” Ramzan Sajid said.

Similarly, Imtiaz Inayat Elahi, CDA Chairman, said some of the objectives of the community centre were to provide an accessible range of health and cultural facilities to people from all segments of society.

He compared it to the Victoria Park Community Centre in London, and said the facilities would be of international standard. The community centre is now expected to be complete by September 2010.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2010.