Park officials and 15th BSB Soldiers were on hand to reopen the latest project, an indoor horse stable and a children’s swimming pool at the park in central Baghdad, Dec. 1.

“We will consider this day a great day for us and Iraqis,” said Dr. Muhsen Abed Hussein. “This accomplishment is credited to all the workers. We would love to do more projects like this inside the park.”

Lt. Col. Jeffrey Vieira, 15th BSB’s commander, Capt. Amy Cronin, the battalion’s special projects officer from Carlisle, Pa., and Sgt. 1st Class Herb Mowery were on hand to help park officials cut the ceremonial ribbon to the stables and swimming pool complex.

The new horse stable is an indoor facility featuring 23 individual stalls and a washroom for the horses. The facility is surrounded by a corral and walking area for the animals to get routine exercise. The horse stable and swimming pool are located on a side of the park that has been an area of neglect, versus the main part of the park surrounding the zoo. During the war, the park and zoo received a heavy amount of damage. Now, there are plans in the works to reopen the gate and parking lot located near the horse stables and swimming pool.

According to Mowery, a native of Parkersburg, W.V., the horse stables and swimming pool was one of the most damaged areas of the park, but now, he said he feels good about the positive impact the two new facilities will have on the entire park and zoo facility.

“I think it is good compared to most of the projects (we’ve worked on),” Mowery said. “This one is more public because it will be opened to the public where it was closed to the public before.”

While the pool will be open to the public as soon as the weather permits, the horse stables will only be there for the staff and an equestrian team, according to Dr. Adil Salman Mousa, the Baghdad Zoo’s director. Yet, he added that he hopes the horse stable may one day be open to the public as well.

The horses that are currently in the zoo were found on Saddam Hussein and other former dignitaries’ prosperities throughout Baghdad.

Mousa said he believes the newest addition to the park will draw more visitors, as did the news of the zoo’s reopening earlier this year.

“We are very happy for the assistance of the Army in opening the stable and also the pool,” he said. “This should increase visitors to the zoo and (stable).”