National gardens, such as the “Ogaqajev” garden, should be open to the public for relaxation and enjoyment. On January 17, Yerevan’s mayor’s spokesperson, Hayk Konstanian, announced during a press conference that the tennis courts and other sports facilities in the “Ogaqajev” garden have been permitted by the municipality. The municipality has decided to relocate the tennis courts to another area outside of the garden, in order to preserve the garden’s cultural significance. Approximately 1 hectare of land within the 4.5 hectare garden will be allocated for the development of tennis.

Concerns were raised by journalists regarding the lack of consultation with the tennis players and the “Ararat” tennis club about the relocation. Konstanian responded that consultations are currently underway with the company involved and the final solution will be presented to the municipality. He also addressed concerns about the involvement of “Evocabank” and “Green Rock Management” by stating that Green Rock Management has invested $8.5 million in the program and there is no corruption involved. The municipality aims to replace other commercial areas within the garden with one area that solves various problems.

When questioned about the number of areas included in the program, Konstanian mentioned that discussions are still ongoing, but specified that there are currently 7-8 employees working on the project. The construction of the tennis courts and their relocation is part of the municipality’s plan to preserve the “Ogaqajev” garden, which holds significant cultural value. Recently, Tigran Avinyan confirmed that the tennis courts have been dismantled and the tennis club will be relocated to a more suitable location.

Overall, the municipality’s decision to allocate land for the development of tennis while preserving the cultural value of the “Ogaqajev” garden showcases their commitment to providing public spaces for the general public to enjoy.