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Sri Lanka’s first luxury condominium complex Royal Park turns 25

30 Sep 2022

Sri Lanka’s first luxury condominium complex, Royal Park condominium marked 25 years yesterday (29), a milestone in providing luxury accommodation to a generation that grew up in sprawling multi-bedroom homes. Built and developed by Keangnam Enterprises (previously Keangnam Korea) in 1997, the property consists of 248 luxury apartments housed within the condominium’s two towers, each comprising 24 floors, complete with two penthouses in each tower. Approximately 1,500 workers were involved in the construction of the condominium. Despite being Sri Lanka’s first true luxury condominium developments, Royal Park’s construction proceeded at a record pace for its time, having handed over its units to the community’s first residents just over three-and-a-half years from the commencement of construction.      Sharing his experiences on the continuing legacy of Royal Park 25 years on, Keangnam (Ceylon) General Manager overlooking Royal Park at its inception, and a resident of the complex for almost 20 years, Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Tilak Paranagama emphasised the importance of mutual respect and camaraderie displayed by residents of Royal Park over the years.        “It’s been an absolute pleasure to live at Royal Park, as the common value system here is based on decency and respectfulness of each other. It is an extremely homely atmosphere, and the design and layout of the premises too lends itself to ensuring that residents have ample space for daily fellowship,” he said.  He also said that with condominiums being a new concept to Sri Lankans in the mid-1990s, the development of the complex also came with its share of novel challenges.  “As it was the first of its kind, we had to make sure that each unit was constructed perfectly. My team and I would personally look into every aspect, from planning the construction, including preparation and initiation of survey plans, to electrical and water meters for each individual apartment. I was also part of establishing Royal Park’s first-ever Management Committee and together, we formulated a comprehensive constitution for it. Twenty-five years later, I am incidentally the only surviving member of the original Management Council, but I’m happy to see that the systems, and most importantly the culture that we created back then still continues to thrive to this day,” he reminisced.   Over time, Royal Park has been home to almost three generations, with children who moved in with their parents during the last 25 years now residing with their own young families, contributing to the strong sense of family and community. “I first moved into Royal Park when I was around nine years old, and I have since met people of all ages, races, and nationalities – everywhere from Azerbaijan to Zimbabwe. Royal Park is definitely a paradise for any child growing up, as there is always a friend around to keep you company, and some of my closest friends are people I met here. Royal Park has always had a beautiful community – they are always down to have a good time, but most importantly they will always be there for you in your time of need,” added Tashiya Ekanayake (29), a current resident of the condominium. The complex is especially ideal for children of all ages who are presented with a very different experience from a typical high-rise, most often creating lifelong friendships with each other. The children’s play area comes alive every evening with kids riding bicycles on the path surrounding the beautiful gardens, teenagers playing basketball, and residents joining each other for fellowship in the vast common areas, which are all familiar sights at Royal Park. Royal Park Condominium provides a holistic living experience, achieving that perfect balance in offering its residents a modern living space while retaining an extremely homely atmosphere. Spread across sprawling four acres in the heart of Colombo, Royal Park boasts beautifully manicured gardens, its tending being overlooked by a devoted resident. Two large ehela trees greet people at the entrance of the premises, with its long winding driveway leading to a large spacious sunlit lobby. Just beyond is a large ground floor pool and kiddies pool, bordered by a children’s play area, restaurant and sitting area, tennis court and jogging/walking tracks. The facility is also complete with all modern amenities, a well-equipped gym, sauna, squash court, table tennis court, a Cargills Express mini-supermarket, salon, laundry, and an ATM just adjacent to the main entrance. In addition, the spacious apartments offer spectacular views of the Royal Colombo Golf Club, the Kinda Canal Wetland which is home to remarkable birdlife, the Colombo skyline, the port and the ocean beyond, giving Royal Park a truly unique appeal.   A competent resident-run Management Council overlooks all aspects of the management and maintenance of the premises, complete with monthly meetings and Annual General Meetings carried out with the participation of the Condominium Management Authority. As such, regular maintenance upgrades, daily maintenance and attention to detail ensure that the complex remains pristine, safe, and comfortable for all its residents. In maintaining these high standards of safety and quality of the common facilities, upgrades in the service elevators, main control panels, fuel storage, submersible pumps, lobby, and restaurant areas to name a few, were carried out during the last financial year only.  The management, safety, and maintenance of the premises are handled by competent staff members consisting of the Condominium Manager Christine Hassim, Command Centre Co-ordinator W.A.C. Wanasinghe and Engineering and Maintenance Head Indika Deshapriya, and their respective teams. The permanent staff at the complex consists of 29 dedicated team members, whilst 29 sub-contractor staff diligently handle areas such as security, janitorial services, and accounts, many of whom have been employed at Royal Park for over a decade, adding familiarity and a sense of safety and comfort to the residents.   


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