Sharjah: A new family destination called Madar opened on Thursday in Sharjah, including a food hub where shipping containers were redesigned into colourful pop-up food outlets selling a wide range of cuisines.
Madar, taken from the Arabic word for ‘path’ or ‘orbit’ is created to represent the free movement of people. It is located in the heart of Aljada, a megaproject in Sharjah’s Muwaileh district.
His Highness Shaikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, graced the opening of Madar, which is a cluster of family-friendly attractions spread around a park measuring 600,000 square feet.
Speaking to Gulf News, Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, chairman of Arada (the developers of Aljada), said Madar represents 20 per cent of the central hub of Aljada. “It is the latest destination for families and anyone who want to enjoy good food and have entertainment.”
“Madar’s opening is the first opportunity for members of the public to experience a taste of Aljada, a project that is truly transformational for Sharjah, which is new place for families, lovers of culture, for those who are looking for excitement and for those who are seeking to learn,” he added.
“The launch of Madar at Aljada is an important step in our mission to build a sustainable and smart city that represents a new future for Sharjah. With more than 5,000 trees planted in this area alone, Madar shows how Aljada is set to become one of the greenest destinations in the region,” added Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal, vice chairman of Arada.
When fully completed, Madar will incorporate a large range of facilities and attractions including a large public square, an extreme sports centre, an ‘edutainment’ complex, two retail zones, an 11-screen cinema and a large community park.
Madar is free to enter and open to the public from 10am until 10pm on weekdays, and between 10am and midnight on weekends. Parking is likewise free for visitors. For its initial offering, Madar will host weekend activities, including live performances from artists, sportspeople and musicians. The theme of the first weekend will be cultural fusion while later events will have comedy, music, food, gaming and film showings.
Madar attractions:
Zad – has 15 pop-up food outlets selling a wide range of cuisines. Each outlet is housed in a redesigned shipping container, with brands ranging from café to vegan burger outlet.
YourSpace – a hall for corporate events that can be transformed into a studio, exhibition area or any other marketing activities
Madar Amphitheatre – can accommodate up to 500 people and can be used to host film screenings, markets, parties and musical performances.
Playscape – a children’s adventure zone. It has climbing walls, activity nets, swings, trampolines and slides
Skatepark – with two skate pits, this is set to become a new hub for adventure sports enthusiasts.
Discovery Centre – features an immersive, coil-shaped ‘experience room’, that will allow visitors to experience different parts of Aljada from a digital 360-degree perspective. The Discovery Centre also features a show apartment and the Aljada café, where visitors can relax and enjoy views of the community.
