ForbesPro: Presented by the Ministry of Construction and Housing in collaboration with the Dimona Municipality
Demographic growth studies show that by 2065, Israel’s population will double, reaching more than 18.5 million residents. Anyone familiar with the expected density figures can’t help but think about solutions to the situation, foremost among them – populating cities outside the Tel Aviv Region and central Israel.
In 2018, an agreement was signed between the Ministry of Construction and Housing and the city of Dimona – a step that promised extensive development. The agreement set a high bar in various areas of housing, employment, transportation, and culture and leisure. Indeed, the successes of the agreement were not long in coming, including the completion of the Lake Park adjacent to Ben-Gurion Forest – a natural gem with an artificial lake that attracts many visitors. Here you can find children’s play equipment, pedal boat sailing, wide lawns, a skate park that gives the city’s children an exceptional skating experience, with extreme and training areas – and the crown jewel: an amphitheater that hosts Israel’s best artists every year.
Another project that has been taking shape in recent years is a regional innovation center planned to be built at a total cost of more than 40 million shekels. The building, which will span an area of about 4,000 square meters, will serve as a home for young women and men working in high-tech professions, and will include, alongside quality employment, unique training and courses, learning and work spaces, a new youth center, a spacious auditorium, and an indulgent rooftop where various events and activities will be held.
Recently, at the end of June 2024, a plan was approved for deposit to establish a cyber campus, which will include student dormitories, a cyber academy, government offices, and a comprehensive response to everything related to the field.
Following the events of October 7th, the importance of personal security in Israeli cities was emphasized. The city of Dimona has become a pioneer in this field, with the establishment and inauguration of a one-of-a-kind emergency and operation center in the country, equipped with the best technology.
Sporting Spirit
But the changes in Dimona are not just physical. The field of sports occupies many residents in the city – and for them, a municipal sports authority was established, which unites all the activities, buildings, and infrastructure for a sporty city.
About 10 million shekels from the city budget were invested in the field of sports, and significant resources were invested in the construction, renovation, and upgrading of halls and in the establishment of the Dimona Country Club, alongside a sports complex that allows the city’s residents to receive a response to many areas – basketball, ninja, football, a public gym under the open sky, synthetic fields that the city’s residents maintain in an inspiring way, and breathtaking skate park grounds. The city is also working on establishing running tracks and a Dimona circular bicycle single track, as part of the development of neighborhoods and infrastructure. These days, a sports complex is being built in the Hashachar neighborhood, and the city is investing in sports clubs and professional leagues and in the construction of 6 innovative tennis courts in collaboration with Ramat Hasharon, with an unprecedented donation of one million dollars. And of course, the support and investment in M.S. Dimona never cease for a moment.
Investing in Culture
The field of culture in Dimona is also one of its sources of pride, and in recent years, a real revolution has taken place in it. The city’s culture department leads major events in the commercial center, at the Lake Amphitheater, and in ‘Dudu Dotan Park’, where the biggest names in the country perform. Alongside special artist performances, popular events such as the Beer Festival, Wine Festival, and more are held.
The Cultural Hall and Friends company make culture accessible on a monthly basis with the best performances and great diversity. Dimona Theater creates culture that makes waves throughout Israel – just last August, they finished a tour in the country from Kiryat Motzkin, through Kfar Saba, to Jerusalem.
Who would have believed a decade ago that an original show, “The Little Prince” created in Dimona, with mostly local actors and workers, would fill the Habima Hall for three consecutive performances?
Young and Vibrant
The city’s Youth Center leads events, workshops, and services for students, young people, and young families in a creative and extraordinary way. No more overnight camping trips outside the city – but family camping events at the lake, at the highest standards possible, alongside a scholarship enterprise amounting to millions of shekels to promote and increase the number of academics in the city.
Dimona’s network of community centers has doubled and leads groundbreaking events. From large performances at the lake to moving Kabbalat Shabbat events in neighborhoods, spectacular happening events, the DMR challenge that has become a household name in the running world, and the drag race that is a real tourist celebration. The field of tourism is gaining momentum, and alongside the successful Desert Festival, many surprises are expected in the field, with the establishment of one of the most beautiful ‘glamping’ hotels in the world and the construction of a boutique hotel similar to the Beresheet Hotel, which is expected to provide a breathtaking desert nature experience.
New Neighborhoods
The crown jewel of the agreement signed with the Ministry of Construction and Housing, and of Dimona’s urban development is the establishment of about 20,000 housing units in five new neighborhoods, joining the 10,000 units already marketed – Amnon Lipkin-Shahak neighborhood, Ariel Sharon neighborhood, Yoni Netanyahu neighborhood, Dimona on the Park neighborhood, and Rotem (David Levy) neighborhood – which will include more than 2,200 plots for self-build homes.
The scope of the neighborhoods and the wide variety allow investors in Dimona to enjoy a broad range of housing options – from apartments in dense construction with costs ranging between 600-800 thousand shekels, through contracting projects including penthouse and garden apartments equipped with swimming pools, to self-construction of dream homes.
As part of the renewal and construction momentum, work has just begun on a road connecting to the exit to Beer Sheva (Route 25). In the first stage, the road will continue from the existing one in the northern neighborhood of the city and create additional intra-city connections, including to the lake. Later, an additional exit from the city will be added, and at the end of the overall construction, a fourth exit will also be added at the Aroer junction, which will significantly shorten the travel time to Beer Sheva.
Alongside such significant construction momentum, additional strategic steps are being taken in the city, which add great value to the array of considerations for entrepreneurs and families. For example, these days, the construction of a new transportation center is planned, which will include a new train station, urban and inter-city bus terminal, bicycle parking, covered parking for about 1,500 private cars and taxi services. In addition, a bridge will be built over Route 25, connecting the city’s mall to the transportation center, which will incorporate restaurants and cafes. Above the transportation center, the establishment of a huge business center is planned, where hundreds of workers are expected to be employed at a total cost estimated at about 320 million shekels.
ForbesPro: Presented by the Ministry of Construction and Housing in collaboration with the Dimona Municipality. ForbesPro is Forbes Israel’s Promotional Content Brannd
