Chronicle

Cyberpark at Arsat Moulay Abdeslam

Cyberpark at Arsat Moulay Abdeslam

I've been hearing about the Arsat Moulay Abdeslam cyberpark for weeks but hadn't had the chance to visit. I went there this weekend and was charmed by what I saw.

Arsat Moulay Abdeslam is a large garden (eight hectares) located within the walls of Marrakech, near the entrance to the Medina. For decades, this garden, established in the 18th century by Prince Moulay Abdeslam, had been neglected. There was a fear it would disappear like many other gardens in the Medina to make way for yet another unsightly building.

Fortunately, someone had the brilliant (though risky) idea to entrust the park to Maroc Telecom. It was up to them to renovate, rehabilitate, and showcase their "technological prowess."

One could have expected the worst, but it turned out to be a success. It's an oasis of calm, cool, and serenity just meters away from Jamaa el Fna square. Wide pathways have been laid out amidst blooming orange trees and ancient olive trees. Thus, the garden is an interesting compromise between the lushness of Oriental gardens and the structured layout of European ones.

Maroc Telecom has installed internet access points throughout the park. I tried several and was surprised to find that they all worked and the connection was quite fast (although not free, as it requires a standard phone card).

I am personally very supportive of such initiatives. Our municipal budgets are minuscule. If private operators can offset this deficiency by taking on the rehabilitation and maintenance of some of our endangered heritage (while promoting themselves in the process), they should be encouraged to do so, while ensuring, of course, that we retain some control and oversight (We don't want to see LG installing a giant screen tuned to MTV in the middle of the Koutoubia Mosque's prayer hall...).

Published: Nov 13, 2024

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