Construction on the second phase of the Freedom Park tourism initiative is expected to start in November of this year, Melissa Johnson project administrator at the Freedom Park Trust said yesterday.

The organisation this weekend called for submission of proposals for the electrical engineering, structural engineering and project management contracts for the project.

Speaking to Engineering News Online, Johnston said that the second phase has a R210-million price-tag and will involve the construction of a museum, archives, memorial, a lake memorial area, an amphitheatre, a moshate, administrative offices and an upgrade of the southern access road.

Completion of this phase is scheduled for 2006.

A consortium of firms consisting of MMA Architects, Mashabane Rose & Associates and Gapp Architects, was chosen as the architects for the project.

“We are currently working on the design plans with these companies,” Johnston said.

A further phase of the project is planned for the future and will see the construction of a library and audiovisual library.