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Old Airport (Arabic: المطار العتيق; also referred to as Al Matar Al Qadeem) is an area of Doha, Qatar.[1] The district is located close to the site of Doha's old international airport servicing Qatar before the construction of the Hamad International Airport. Running through the district is Al Matar Al Qadeem Street (known in English as Old Airport Street), around which many businesses and retailers cater to the residents of the area. The first mall constructed in Qatar is also located within the district, next to the congested Najma roundabout.
Old Airport
المطار العتيق | |
|---|---|
District | |
 Al Matar Al Qadeem Street in Old Airport | |
  Old Airport  Old Airport | |
| Coordinates: 25.248141°N 51.554443°E | |
| Country |  Qatar |
| Municipality | Ad Dawhah |
| Zone | Zone 45 |
| District no. | 44 |
| Area | |
• Total | 4.7 km2 (1.8 sq mi) |
| Population (2010) | |
• Total | 44,275 |
| • Density | 9,400/km2 (24,000/sq mi) |
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The Qatar government decided to create an airport in the mid-1900s, and Old Airport served as the site of this airport before it was relocated to a new site. Municipal officials turned their attention towards developing Old Airport in the 1970s. In the 1980s, the falling price of oil resulted in these plans scaled back and eventually put on hold indefinitely. No new master plans have been put in place for the district since then.[2] In September 1985, a post office was opened in the district.[3]
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When free elections of the Central Municipal Council first took place in Qatar during 1999,[4] Old Airport was designated the seat of constituency no. 9.[5] It would remain seat of constituency no. 9 in the next three consecutive elections until the fifth municipal elections in 2015, when it was decided that it would become the seat of constituency no. 8. Included among constituency no. 8's districts are Ras Abu Aboud, east Nu`ayjah, Al Khulaifat, Al Hitmi, Doha Port, Al Mirqab, Al Souq, Old Al Ghanim, Al Jasrah, Umm Ghuwailina, Najma, Fereej bin Durham, Al Hilal, Al Mansoura, and Barahat Al Jufairi. [6]
In the inaugural municipal elections in 1999, Abdulrahman Mohammed Al-Jufairi won the elections, receiving 61%, or 617 votes. Trailing behind him with 28.2%, or 285 votes was Salman Ahmed Mohammed Al Meer. Voter turnout was 84.7%.[5] Constituency no. 9 became in notable in the 2002 elections when it elected Sheikha Yousuf Hasan Al Jufairi,[7] making her the first woman win a municipal election in the GCC.[8] Al-Jufairi went on to retain her seat in the three following elections in 2007,[9] 2011[10] and 2015.[11]
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Road
Mowasalat is the official transport company of Qatar and serves the community through its operation of public bus routes. Old Airport is served by one bus line which departs from Al Ghanim Bus Station. Route 11 has stops at Najma, LuLu Hypermarket and Old Airport and a terminus at Al Thumama at Bus Stop 5, running at a frequency of every 20 minutes on all days of the week.[12][13]
Major roads that run through the district are D Ring Road, E Ring Road, Airport Street (also known as Matar Street) and Najma Street.[14]
Air
Doha International Airport, previously Qatar's main airport, was located near here. It was made defunct after the opening of Hamad International Airport in May 2014 but remains active for government flights, military, and diplomatic flights.[15]
Rail
Currently, two underground metro stations serve Old Airport: the Al Matar Al Qadeem Metro Station, and the Oqba Ibn Nafie Metro Station, both of which are part of the Red Line of the Doha Metro.[16] As part of the metro's Phase 1, the stations were inaugurated on 8 May, 2019, along with most other Red Line stations.[17]
Al Matar Al Qadeem station is situated at the crossing of Airport Street and D Ring Road, and provides underground pedestrian tunnels at all four corners.[18] Among the station's facilities are a Qatar National Bank ATM, a prayer room and restrooms.[19] Nearby landmarks within walking distance include the Old Airport Park, the Oryx Rotana Hotel and the defunct Doha International Airport.[20] There are no metrolinks serving the station.[19]
Oqba Ibn Nafie station is located at the Airport Street–Oqba Ibn Nafie intersection, to the south of Al Matar Al Qadeem Station. It contains the same facilities as the Al Matar Al Qadeem station.[19] There are a total of three metrolinks, which is the Doha Metro's feeder bus network, servicing the station:[21]
- M123, which serves Old Airport and Nuaija.
- M124, which serves Old Airport.
- M125, which serves Al Thumama.
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The Qatar National Master Plan (QNMP) is described as a "spatial representation of the Qatar National Vision 2030".[22] As part of the QNMP's Urban Centre plan, which aims to implement development strategies in 28 central hubs that will serve their surrounding communities, Old Airport has been designated a Town Centre, which is the third-highest designation.[23]
Much of Old Airport Town Centre's importance lies in its status as a route between southeast Doha and Al Wakrah. Thus, the plan emphasizes constructing more mixed-use office and retail space, improved pedestrian infrastructure and higher building heights on Airport Street, which connects the two regions. Pedestrian accessibility is another priority of the centre plan, particularly the construction of overhead pedestrian bridges.[18]
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As of the 2010 census, the district comprised 10,063 housing units[24] and 856 establishments.[25] There were 44,275 people living in the district, of which 61% were male and 39% were female. Out of the 44,275 inhabitants, 72% were 20 years of age or older and 28% were under the age of 20. The literacy rate stood at 98%.[26]
Employed persons made up 57% of the total population. Females accounted for 22% of the working population, while males accounted for 78% of the working population.[26]
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The following schools are located in Old Airport:
| Name of School | Curriculum | Grade | Genders | Official Website | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Hamad International Developed | International | Kindergarten – Secondary | Both | N/A | [27] |
| American Academy | International | Primary – Secondary | Both | Official website | [28] |
| Al Fajar Al Jadeed Kindergarten | International | Kindergarten | Both | N/A | [29] |
| Al Kholoud Kindergarten | International | Kindergarten | Both | N/A | [30] |
| Bhavan's Public School - Airport | International | Kindergarten – Secondary | Both | Official website | [31] |
| Global Academy International | International | Kindergarten – Secondary | Both | Official website | [32] |
| Haqel Al Rabeea Kindergarten - Airport | International | Kindergarten | Both | N/A | [33] |
| Rising Stars Kindergarten | International | Kindergarten | Both | Official website | [34] |
Aster Hospital in Old Airport
Al Jaidah Square on Old Airport Road
Buildings in Old Airport
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