The Ho Chi Minh City administration has requested that the municipal Department of Construction expedite the reclamation of common areas - spaces being used for commercial purposes - inside 23/9 Park, an initiative which is already two months behind schedule.

The sluggish process was brought up during a meeting held on Tuesday to discuss the city’s socio-economic and security situations.

According to city chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong, the administration previously ordered the construction department to terminate all leasing contracts at the park prior to April 30 this year.

Facilities such as headquarters, eateries, and parking lots were also told to be moved before the deadline.

The 23/9 Park spans approximately ten hectares in the downtown area and is flanked by Pham Ngu Lao, Tran Hung Dao, Quach Thi Trang Square, Le Loi, and Nguyen Trai.

Section B of the park is currently a bustling hotspot of restaurants, coffee shops, and even a concert stage, particularly near the Taka Plaza underground shopping mall.

It also hosts flea markets and fairs on regular bases.

The removal of these businesses and fixtures is meant to restore public spaces at the park to their original conditions.

At the meeting, the administration also approved a plan to organize a design contest for a makeover project planned for the park.

“The job was meant to be finished by the end of April. It is now June and the task is not even close to completion,” chairman Phong stressed at the gathering.

The construction department, the body charged with the initiative, should have a clear schedule instead of empty promises, the official said, adding that the administration will have a private meeting with the department to address the problem.

Le Hoa Binh, director of the Department of Construction, explained that operators of commercial retailers within the park have yet to return the spaces.

The department has been working to deal with the issue, Binh continued.

Demolition of the Sen Hong concert stage, a 6,000-square-meter performance area, will be carried out as part of the plan, he added.

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