I've worked on various mega-projects all over the world, some good, some not so good, and some downright TERRIBLE!!
I really enjoyed the three-years ('82-'85) I spent at Yanbu, but I'd rather be here, than there.
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Oh, before I forget; a special thanks to my Yanbu bud, 'Khun Johnnie K.' for the nice props.
much appreciated
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"By any measure, the creation of a major city in the vast emptiness of the Arabian desert merits the title “Project of the Millennium.” Envisaged more than 30 years ago by H.M. King Faisal as the path to reduce the Kingdom’s dependence on crude oil exports, upgrade its precious natural resources, diversify the national economy, and ultimately, raise the standard of living of the entire Saudi population, the groundwork for this extraordinary undertaking was laid when Parsons was commissioned to develop the Master Plan for a new city to be constructed on the Red Sea coast. The city would be called Madinat Yanbu Al-Siniayah."
http://www.parsons.com/about/press_rm/potm/01-2002/index.html
3 comments:
I was in MYAS during 1982-83, I must the experience changed my life. While I can not say each day was easy it had more to do with my youth than anything else. I would love to go there now and see what it is like after all these years. Always like to go to breakfast at the old camp past the NGL plant, camp# something just can not think of the name.
We were one of the first families to move into MYAS in June 1979, and we lived in what was known as Neighborhood 2. Ultimately, we moved in to Neighborhood 4. This was the beginning of the City. I worked for Saudi Arabian Parsons and we were the "City Staff" to the Royal Commission. Watching the City grow from nothing to over 30,000 residents in late 1983 (when we left) was a truly remarkable experience. The Royal Commission had a true vision for what they wanted to create to stimulate the economic growth of the northwest quadrant of the Kingdom. And they have succeeded !! My dream is to be able to re-visit the City I was blessed to be a part of developing. At present, I can only re-visit through Google Earth. To know that over 122,000 people now live and work in MYAS is a true tribute to the vision of the Royal Commission back in 1975.
Hi Ray, Mark, and others,
I am currently researching the history of Yanbu and would love to hear more about your experiences in the early stages of its development. It sounds like a fascinating time to have been a part of the planning and construction! Please contact me if you are interested in sharing your stories. My e-mail is jack.hanly@yale.edu
Best,
Jack Hanly
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