An eco-friendly timber trestle boardwalk constructed around mangroves behind the Government building is the latest addition to the China-Samoa Friendship Park in Eleele fou. 

The development is part of the Apia Waterfront Development Project and is designed for cultural, communication, entertainment, sports and recreational activities.

Sitting behind the Faumuina Mata’afa Fiame Mulinu’u II building, the newly constructed boardwalk has added a unique sight on the coast next to the seawall. 

There were local workers located on the site together with Chinese construction workers who were building a Samoan fale. 

A children’s playground is also nearing completion with other recreational spaces slowly taking shape.

A local worker, who didn’t want to be identified as he is not authorised to speak to the media, said they have had very little rest over the festive period as they worked in order to meet the project’s scheduled completion deadline.

But bad weather over the last three weeks and the broader effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic has resulted in delays in the completion of construction.

However, the pandemic and the weather are not the only obstacles the contractors have faced.

Vandals have also targeted the project site, compelling authorities to warn against the vandalism of public property. The area around the project site has since been closed off to the public in a bid to address the recurring threat of vandalism. 

Work on the China–Samoa Friendship Park commenced in 2018 and covers a land area of 40,000 square meters. It is funded by a grant courtesy of the Huizhou Municipal People’s Government of Guangdong Province.