A shady spot at Penang City Park which has been attracting visitors since 1972. — Photos: CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
MANY old-timers will recall that Penang City Park (previously known as Penang Youth Park) was a popular spot for dating couples back in the 1970s and 1980s.
Retiree Ng Seng Siew, 67, recalled how couples would come to the park, mostly on motorcycles and especially in the late evening.
He would sometimes encounter them when he went there to swim in the public pools with his friends.
Ng is still a regular visitor to the park which has changed a lot over the years.
Children splashing about in a pool at the park. — Filepic
He said the pools had been upgraded and another was added nearby.
“There is an open area that was transformed into a skate park in the mid-2010s. It is a very popular spot,” he said.
He remembers seeing two decorative statues of Malay warriors at the park and expressed surprise that they have stood the test of time.
Decorative sculptures near the playground.
He said there was also a sculpture of a camel, which has since been demolished.
Ng and his friends used to climb onto the camel statue, occasionally tumbling off because of its height.
“I hope that the park will endure for future generations, continuing to be a wonderful space for people to unwind and appreciate nature after a challenging work week,” he said.
Tan visiting the park with his daughter back in the 1990s. — Courtesy pic
Frequent visitors SB Ch’ng, 58, and her husband Tan Peng Hai, 60, have been going to the park for decades.
They used to visit every weekend with their two small children back in the 1990s.
Their daughter is now 29 and currently working in Sydney, Australia, while their son will be starting his cybersecurity course at a college in Selangor this month.
FILEPIC Penang International Yoga Day 202 at Penang Youth Park.
“My husband goes hiking on the park’s trails a few times a week while I walk around there with friends.
“I really enjoy looking at the tall trees and breathing in the fresh air. We love the place,” she said in an interview recently.
Ch’ng said access to the park had been restricted for vehicles since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 and this restriction remained.
(From left )MBPP secretary Cheong Chee Hong, Rajendran, Chow and Anwar planting a tree at the park during the golden jubilee celebration.
“This is good as the absence of cars and motorcycles in the park has translated to fresher air,” she added.
Sprawling across 69.6ha, the park boasts various facilities for recreation including a gymnasium, a building for archery, a campsite, gazebo, graffiti park, and jogging track as well as courts for basketball and volleyball.
There are also a children’s pool and recreational pool which draw a crowd, especially during hot spells, besides a giant chess board with large play pieces.
During the golden jubilee celebration, visitors found various ways to enjoy the park, including cycling and playing pickleball .
There are also various themed gardens with fixtures.
Other facilities include a reflexology path, multipurpose field, skate park, skating rink and playground.
There are also a surau, canteen and babycare area as well as toilets for visitors.
Another attraction – a remote control car track costing RM80,000 – will be built later this year.
During the golden jubilee celebration, visitors found various ways to enjoy the park, including cycling and playing pickleball .
The park’s lights have been upgraded at a cost of RM500,000 since the park is now open until 10pm beginning this year. It previously closed at 7pm.
Each year, Penang Island City Council (MBPP) spends as much as RM700,000 on the park’s maintenance.
Unknown to many, the place was once an abandoned quarry filled with rocks.
It was considered a scary place, said park founder Datuk Seri Dr Anwar Fazal during the golden jubilee celebration of the park last month.
“When I was with Penang Municipal Council (now Penang Island City Council), I wanted to do something about it.
“To promote goodwill, we brought in 1,500 students as part of a project to learn about the place and organise a clean-up.
The skate park is among the many recreational facilities at the park.
“After a series of voluntary projects, mostly done by the youths, the place was transformed.
“This is what led me to call it ‘Youth Park’.
“However, it is not just a tribute to those who helped clean up the place but a reference to those visitors who are young at heart,” he elaborated.
Anwar said the park was special because many voluntary groups had contributed via their activities.
“It is an adventure and nature park,” he said, pointing out that it is home to communities of animals from monkeys to ants.
“I hope we can continue to enjoy the park for another 50 years,” he added.
The park was launched on Feb 26, 1972.
Anwar was assistant secretary at the then Penang municipal council, and seconded to the Chief Minister’s office as the confidential secretary.
The park was renamed Penang City Park in 2015 after the Penang municipal council was upgraded to a city council.
Meanwhile, MBPP mayor Datuk A. Rajendran said the park’s opening hours were extended to 10pm to cater to families who want to enjoy the park after work.
“It has been conserved over the years while the remainder of the space has been transformed for activities,” he added.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who launched the golden jubilee celebration, praised MBPP for being committed to conserving nature.
“This is the place to make collective memories,” he said.
During the celebration, Chow joined a Zumba session.
Guests enjoyed a boria performance and other activities including a pickleball game while children had fun at a colouring contest.
