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Since the establishment of the State of Israel and in light of David Ben Gurion’s vision and legacy, the Negev’s development persists as a relevant and meaningful Zionist challenge to Israel’s future. Beer Sheva, the Negev’s capital, is set right at the heart of this vision and legacy. Beer Sheva’s development and renewal serve as the key for the blossoming of the entire Negev.
Beer Sheva River Park is one of the prime growth engines for the city and aims to transform it into an attractive and enjoyable place in which to live.
From the dawn of civilization, Beer Sheva has served as the central habitation site in the Negev and manifests an historical and cultural continuum spanning over 6,000 years. Throughout that rich history, Beer Sheva River has served as the prime attraction for human activity in this region, giving rise to communities, transportation routes and rich agriculture along the River thus transforming it into the desert’s principal artery of life. The past few generations saw an evolution of new technologies for transferring water and energy resources as well as the introduction of novel city and road development modes. These have helped severe the direct link to the Beer Sheva River until it deteriorated to the point of becoming the region and the city’s “back yard” where waste and refuse accumulated. Having become an inferior site environmentally and esthetically, the River area became a far less desirable location for development and residence, thereby accelerating its decline.
Beer Sheva River Park is the central park for Beer Sheva as the capital of the Negev and its metropolitan environs. The Park stretches over 1,300 acres along 5 miles of the riverbed within the city limits; from the Tel Beer Sheva National Landmark in the east to the Neveh Ze’ev neighborhood in the west. The Park boasts a stretch of expansive open spaces, leisure and recreation sites, a lake, an outdoor theater, an outdoor sports center (Sportek), commercial ventures, promenades, and historical and tourism sites. Some of these are already in the process of development.
The Park’s prime objective aims to provide a substantial area for recreation activities in an open and accessible site for the public, serving the variety of cultures characterizing this region and, thereby, improving the city’s quality of life and image.
Crystallizing the Park’s vision commenced in 1998 when a number of entities: Jewish National Fund, the Shikma-Besor Drainage Authority, the Ministry for Environmental Protection and the City of Beer Sheva, joined forces to formulate a master plan for the River’s basin, in general, and the Beer Sheva River Park, in particular. Later, governmental ministries and other public bodies joined the founders in order to work together and advance their joint vision.
Until, 2000, the dry riverbed served as a quarrying material source for road building and construction industries. It also became a site for depositing refuse material and running wastewater. Over the years, the riverbed accumulated much sewage material in the quarrying pits and an illegal waste material dumping site “blossomed”. A 325-acre site evolved into an environmental hazard and the city’s planners and residents literally turned away from it.
During 2000-2004, rehabilitation work commenced, leading to the reshaping of the riverbed; quarrying pits were filled with earth, the quarrying plant was relocated, the asphalt factory closed down and the extensive accumulation of waste material were removed.
Following the conclusion of rehabilitation works and the operation of the city’s new wastewater recycling plant, the city’s sewage pools that were located close to the riverbed were dried up and the River began to function again in its historical role as a natural course for flood water.
In 2004, the first portion of the Park’s plan was executed with the establishment of Bell Park in the Neveh Noy neighborhood.
In 2007, the development of the Central Promenade commenced, covering an area of some 60 acres. In parallel, the restoration of historic Beit Eshel Courtyard began.
In 2008, the development of Beit Eshel Park began, encompassing a 10-acre area. .
In summer 2009, these works were concluded and one can already witness the results of the rehabilitation, restoration and development works and the beginning of transforming Beer Sheva River Park from the city’s “back yard” into its “front garden”.
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