PERAK Stadium in Ipoh that is undergoing a pitch upgrade since last June, has reached 75% completion and will be ready for use this August or September.
State housing and local government committee chairman Sandrea Ng said the project was a collaborative effort involving the Youth and Sports Ministry, Ipoh City Council (MBI) and state government.
The project’s RM800,000 cost covers the replacement of the pitch and basic facility improvements.
Ng added that technical assessments conducted with relevant departments and expert consultants identified several additional requirements to enhance the quality and long-term durability of the pitch.
“Among the additional works being carried out are modifications to the subsoil drainage system to accelerate water flow and reduce the risk of water-logging.
“Improvements also include the construction of perimeter drainage to segregate water flow from the running track and the installation of an automatic pop-up sprinkler system that was not in the original project scope.”
Ng said this during a site visit to Perak Stadium to check on the progress of the pitch upgrade that managed by MBI, reported Bernama.
She added that MBI has also approved an additional RM413,000 allocation for the installation of an automatic sprinkler system with 24 nozzles for more even and consistent watering across the entire pitch surface.
“The decision to add the system was made after a technical review found that installation must be completed before grass planting to avoid the risk of structural damage to the pitch and future repair costs.
“Watering was previously done manually and depended on manpower, resulting in inconsistent distribution.
“Originally, only 13 sprinklers were planned, but we have added 11 more, bringing the total to 24 units.”
Ng said the sprinkler project was expected to be completed by next month, followed by a grass maturation period before the pitch can be used at the optimum level.
“While there is a slight delay compared to the original schedule due to the additional works and technical coordination, these steps are necessary to ensure the pitch quality meets the set specifications and provides long-term benefits to users,” she added.
