Tony Hagen Park in Hetauda emerges as new scenic escape

BY ANIL PARAJULI,Hetauda, Dec. 29: Tony Hagen Park, constructed in the Bus Park TCN area of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City-10, has recently been developing into a scenic destination. For visitors coming to Hetauda, the park has become a popular place to relax and spend leisure time.

Located near the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Health, of Bagmati Province and the Madan Bhandari Academy of Health Sciences, the park also serves as a resting spot for service seekers visiting nearby government offices. Built on what was once vacant land, the park has enhanced the city’s beauty while also contributing to the promotion of greenery and environmental conservation.

Named after Dr. Tony Hagen, a Swiss national and the visionary planner of Hetauda, the park spans approximately one and a half bighas of land. It is becoming popular as a place for recreation, relaxation, and leisure. Its peaceful atmosphere, flower gardens, lush greenery, and well-managed seating areas attract many visitors. A half-length statue of Dr. Hagen has also been installed within the park.

Among the tourist destinations in Hetauda, the capital of Bagmati Province, Tony Hagen Park is emerging as a significant attraction.

Dr. Tony Hagen is a world-renowned geologist. In recognition of his invaluable contributions to Nepal, the late King Birendra awarded him honorary Nepali citizenship. Born in 1917, Dr. Hagen passed away in 2003.

While working with the Nepal-Swiss Project, Dr. Hagen conducted extensive studies on Nepal’s geography, society, and development potential. He first came to Nepal in 1950 as a development expert and is believed to have arrived in Hetauda around 1957. Entering Nepal on foot from India and travelling through the Churiyamai area to reach Hetauda, he envisioned the possibility of human settlement in areas dominated by sal trees, laying the foundation for the concept of modern Hetauda.