KATHMANDU: The 7 Summit Foundation has announced it will formally open Buddha View Park, which is being constructed near Pikey Peak in Solukhumbu district, by the end of October to attract domestic and international tourists to the region.

7SF Chairman AC Sherpa, addressing the foundation’s 15th annual general meeting, said construction of the park is in full swing and expected to be completed by the end of September. Buddha View Park is located between the Solukhumbu and Okhaldhunga districts, near Pikey Peak, which stands at an elevation of 2,930 meters.

In coordination with local stakeholders, including municipality representatives, the 7SF has already invested nearly 5 million rupees to construct the view park. “We plan a grand opening for October 28, 29, 30, and 31. This project promises to be a remarkable legacy that will benefit generations to come,” Sherpa said, adding that the park will help promote the mountain region in the global tourism market.

In addition to Buddha View Park, 7SF, in coordination with other stakeholders, is also developing a beautiful garden, hiking trails, public restrooms, and a museum to promote local tourism to Pikey Peak, Sherpa, who is also the Honorary Consul General for Washington State, said.

Addressing the AGM, Ward Chair of Solu Dudhkunda Municipality-10, Hom Bahadur Magar, said Buddha View Park, being built with financial support from 7SF, is a model project that not only helps promote the region but also preserves local cultural diversity. Magar also thanked AC Sherpa and the foundation for their generosity in giving back to the community.

Shyam Tamang, vice president of 7SF, said the community would own and operate the park once it is constructed. “It’s not a 7SF project; it’s for the community,” he said, adding that 7SF has been involved in different social service initiatives for a long time.

Lhakpa Sherpa, president of the Wongchu Sherpa Memorial Trust, recounted that 7SF has established a birthing centre by providing Rs 4 million in financial support to Wongchu Memorial Hospital in Tapting. “Buddha View Park is also a symbol of our unity and strength,” she said.

General Secretary of 7SF Tukti Sherpa briefed details about the foundation’s activities, saying it would continue serving the needy community in the days to come.

Mingmar Sherpa, chairman of the Lumsa Sherpa Foundation, thanked 7SF for building the view park, saying his foundation is also constructing a General Ward Building at the Wongchu Sherpa Memorial Trust hospital there.

AC Sherpa, who has climbed mountains across all seven continents, founded the foundation with the aim of supporting needy communities in Nepal. The foundation has already supported the reconstruction of a building for Tapting Secondary School, which was destroyed in the earthquake in Solukhumbu district. The foundation also provided educational and livelihood support to Solsing, a remote village in Sindhupalchok district.

The foundation has also provided insurance worth Rs 1.5 million for 14 people working as Icefall doctors since 2023 on Mount Everest, offered Rs 100,000 each to families of climbers who died on Everest in 2017, and provided Rs 7.5 million for children's education.