Merkez Park 2.67

Merkez Park is a 33ha urban park that is located on both banks of the Seyhan River in Adana. The larger portion of the park, 30ha, is on the west bank.Merkez Park starts just north of Sabancı Mosque and extends north to Galleria Shopping Mall. On the west of the park there is Fuzuli Street. On the east bank, the park starts north of the Sheraton Hotel and extends north to the Acqualand Entertainment Center. On the east, the park is bordered with Hacı Sabancı Boulevard. Sinanpaşa and Yavuzlar footbridges connect both sections of the park.HistoryA large portion of the area of the west bank of today's Merkez Park was a citrus garden. South of the garden, there was a neighborhood of shanty homes. At the very south, just north of D-400 State road, there was the Central Bus Terminal on the river side, and the Archaeology Museum (which is still there) and a gas station on the street side. North of the garden up to the old dam, was a reserve land for floods which used to happen frequently until the 1950s. On the east bank, there was a neighborhood of shanty homes and a large area of vacant land.The idea to create a large urban park on the banks of the Seyhan River was first included in the city plan in 1988 by the mayor, Aytaç Durak. Named Merkez Park, it was planned to be built in an area from north of D-400 State road to the old dam. The project was presented to the public at the art gallery of the Municipal Hall. The first step to take was to relocate the Central Bus Terminal which was just north of D-400 State road. The Central Bus Terminal was moved to the west end of the city.At the 1989 local elections, Selahattin Çolak was elected mayor, and he reversed the project. Although river banks are zoned as construction-free areas by laws, a large shopping mall was approved for the area just south of the Demirköprü bridge. On the area north of Demirköprü, Selahattin Çolak built a large amphitheater, named Mimar Sinan Amphitheater.