Recorded on November 4, inside the land area of more than 4 hectares that was the Government Guest House area, trees grew to form a large green area in the city center. Seen from above, this area is like a "little forest" in the heart of the city, surrounded by townhouses and bustling traffic.
Many groups of workers are driving mini excavators to clear weeds, cleared trees, collected garbage and trimmed trees. Along Ly Thai To Street, dozens of corrugated iron sheets have been gathered to erect fences around the land, serving the upcoming cleaning and construction phase.
In the inner area, some old villas in the Government Guest House area - after many years of being abandoned and seriously degraded - are being demolished by workers to clear the land. crazy bricks, wooden door frames and old tiled roofs are collected and transported outside to serve the leveling and preparation of foundations for the project.
Many people living near the area expressed their agreement when seeing the land being renovated, preparing for this meaningful project. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Hong (Vuon Lai ward) shared: "The memorial should have an open space, many trees and a close design for people to easily access, both to commemorate and to remind us to cherish life".
Mr. Pham Minh Tuan (Xuan Hoa ward): "I hope the project will demonstrate the spirit of revival after the pandemic in a simple, solemn but reminiscent way about the days when the city together overcame difficulties".
According to the plan, the land plot No. 1 Ly Thai To will be built into a community living space combined with a symbolic project to show gratitude to COVID-19 victims, and at the same time, a new landscape highlight in the city center.
Following the direction of City Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc has assigned the Department of Agriculture and Environment to hand over the land (more than 4.4 hectares) to Sun Group as a sponsor and implementer of the park and Memorial, expected to be completed before the Lunar New Year 2026.
The Department of Planning and Architecture is assigned to review and inventory the current status of 7 villas in the land, and at the same time instruct Vuon Lai ward to locally adjust the 1/2,000 scale zoning plan, to be completed before November 30, 2025.
In addition, the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City is collecting public opinions from November 1 to 15 on the idea, content and form of the project, before submitting a complete design plan.
When completed, the park and Memorial at No. 1 Ly Thai To will be a symbol of gratitude and revival, where people and tourists can stop to remember the losses during the pandemic, while feeling the enduring vitality and resilience of Ho Chi Minh City in the journey to overcome challenges.
