A new book detailing information about the Heritage Village in Arad has been published and released to the public, with proceeds going towards reconstruction efforts at the beloved destination.
The private heritage village, located in the heart of Bahrain’s first capital, was closed in January after a massive fire erupted at the facility.
Determined to get back on track as soon as possible, owner Ali Al Mutawa told the GDN that work relating to the rebuilding of the village is already underway.
“We are currently working on matters relating to its reconstruction and are waiting for licences and permission to begin,” he said.
“We have recently participated in events such as the Date Palm Tree Festival last week at the Farmers Market in Howrat A’ali to update people.
“There is a book for sale about the village, with proceeds going towards efforts to rebuild it after the massive fire earlier this year.
“I would like to give my special thanks to photographer and writer Abdulla Al Khan for his hard work and efforts to make and publish the book.
“I hope that it provides us with another way to finance the reconstruction.”
The Heritage Village in Arad was founded by Mr Al Mutawa, a history and folk culture teacher, on land inherited from his family.
The beloved symbol of community heritage underwent extensive remodelling last year and was set to reopen soon with a new, expanded concept.
Once a humble 10sqm space beside Mr Al Mutawa’s home, the village became a popular cultural attraction, drawing interest from students, families and heritage enthusiasts across the kingdom.
According to Mr Al Mutawa, efforts are already underway to get permission and authorisation to officially start rebuilding, though no timeline has been given yet.
Youngsters, handicraft experts and participants have come together in recent weeks to not only show their support for making the village a reality again, but also help Mr Al Mutawa put everything together when it happens.
Participants are already weaving traditional baskets from palm fronds and fishing nets, expected to be on display once again in the future should the village open its doors again.
“The youngsters, especially, have shown a lot of dedication and eagerness to help,” said Mr Al Mutawa.
“A lot of friends and people who frequently visited the village asked me about the progress being made, and thanks to them, we are making good progress.
“We have also completed blueprints, which will be submitted to the relevant agencies for approval and licensing.
“Once we get permission, we will start with the actual building and construction.
“We have already started to gather things we need, such as traditional-style doors and windows.
“We all have high hopes that we can all gather again at the village very soon.”
The GDN reported in January that the fire started around 3pm, with police rushing to the scene after receiving the report.
Those near the facility were evacuated to secure the area and facilitate the Civil Defence’s efforts to control and contain the blaze, preventing it from spreading to adjacent buildings.
The blaze was extinguished by 4.30pm, but firemen remained on site until late evening to ensure secondary fires did not erupt. No injuries were reported in the incident.
