Ipoh Padang is plagued by several issues, including clogged drains. — Photos: RONNIE CHIN/The Star
Other than pigeon droppings, there are several other issues plaguing Ipoh Padang in Perak, which irk folk who regularly exercise there.
These include faulty lighting and waterlogged fields, which are ongoing issues for a number of years.
One of the park visitors, J. Raveen Veerasenan, 31, said floodlights there regularly malfunctioned, especially after a downpour.
He said it was a recurring problem that Ipoh City Council (MBI) needed to resolve.
“I urge the city council to ensure that the electrical or wiring systems are better protected from the rain so they do not get short-circuited easily.
“It is important to have functioning lights because the field gets very dark at night and people could fall and injure themselves,” he added.
The public toilets at the field have been closed since September.
Raveen hopes that the city council will prioritise the people’s welfare and safety.
“Even after we have lodged a complaint, it would take a long time to get the issue sorted out.
“I am not sure whether the city council lacks funding to resolve the problem or the people they hire to fix the issue are not right for the job,” he said.
Raveen also noted that the public toilets at the field have remained closed since September last year.
“We were told that the toilet was being upgraded.
“It has been more than six months now.
“This is particularly troublesome for those who exercise at Ipoh Padang and need to use the toilet.
“I believe the toilet was only built a few years ago and was working fine before this,” he added.
Raveen also hopes that the field can be levelled.
Rumaizi says Ipoh City Council always tries to level the field whenever necessary.
He said some areas of the field were uneven and this could lead to injuries.
Another regular jogger at Ipoh Padang, who wished to remain anonymous, said two areas of the field would be waterlogged after a downpour.
The 31-year-old clerk said one spot was near the Ipoh Tourist Information Centre while the other was near the pavilion.
“After heavy rain, the water will spill over to the walkway at the field.
“The water also recedes slowly because the drains are clogged.
“Some of the drains are filled with leaves, rubbish and branches,” he added.
The clerk said MBI needed to have scheduled maintenance to resolve such problems.
“Perhaps the city council could check on the lighting system and also the condition of the field once every three weeks or a month,” he said.
Another problem the city council should look into was uneven walkways on the field, he highlighted.
A broken path on Ipoh Padang’s joggers track posing a danger to park-goers.
“Some of the drain covers along the path are trip hazards.
“I also hope they can ban e-scooters from using the path,” the clerk added.
Ipoh Padang is a popular spot for locals to exercise or enjoy spending time with their family.
Located along Jalan SP Seenivasagam, it is a landmark in the former tin-mining town.
It was built in 1898 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee the year before.
Ipoh Padang had formerly been used for major national or state events, but now it is only used for sporting activities.
Parts of the field become waterlogged after heavy rain.
A light-and-sound show takes place at night from Fridays to Sundays, attracting tourists.
When contacted, Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin said the city council always tried to level the field whenever needed.
He said the “topdressing” method used sand to fill the affected area.
“A roller machine will then be used to level the surface that is uneven.
“This is done periodically.
“The topdressing work is usually done after a football match or a programme with a lot of people.
“We have never allowed anyone to bring in heavy machinery or lorries onto the field,” he added.
Rumaizi said MBI has taken note of the faulty floodlight issue.
“We are working to resolve the issue and monitoring the maintenance work being done,” he said.
