Welcome to Perak's garden city

IPOH is a city of parks. And the locals are proud of its tag – the garden city. 

The description is apt bearing in mind the number of parks in the city. 

One of the earliest parks, put up in the early 1960s, is the Japanese Garden, popular among wedding couples wanting to take photographs. 

The park, set up by the Perak Turf Club, is a hit among tourists especially those fromJapan. 

INVITING: A lovely view of the fountain and recreational pool at the Kinta Riverfront Park by night.

Located on a 0.48ha site at the entrance of the club along Jalan Raja Dihilir, the park features ponds with Japanese carp, bridges, lanterns and a Japanese teahouse for visitors to sit and relax. 

The most unique feature is the solar-powered clock imported from the Netherlands. 

Perak Turf Club chairman Tan Sri V. Jeyaratnam said the idea of the garden was mooted by some Japanese visiting the club in the early 1960s. 

“It is the first public garden in Ipoh and we are glad to have helped to maintain it well until today,” he said, adding that the site was initially meant as stables. 

He said maintaining the garden cost a few thousand ringgit per month. 

Security guards, a supervisor and two gardeners take care of the garden which has ample parking lots. 

The garden opens from 5pm to 9.30pm on weekdays and from 9am to 9.30pm on weekends. 

“All the features in the garden are original. 

“To keep the place clean, we decided against having a children’s playground like those found in other parks in the city,” he said. 

Another park is Kek Look Tong (Cave of Great Happiness), a cave temple in Taman Rapat Indah, Gunung Rapat. 

The serene beauty of the park is in its carefully selected plants and surrounding limestone hills. 

Two ponds, one filled with various types of fish and turtles, and the other with pink lotus flowers, are located in the centre of the garden and separated by a reflexology path. 

A jogging track runs along the sides of both ponds and joggers can take a breather at the two pavilions while taking in the beauty of the garden and limestone hills. 

The temple with many bronze statues of Lord Buddha, sits on a 4.8ha site and is managed by the Kek Look Seah since 1982. 

IDYLLIC: Visitors looking at the Japanese carp in a pond in the Japanese Garden.

Other public parks in the city are D.R. Seenivasagam Park, the Sultan Abdul Aziz Recreational Park. There are also parks in Gunung Lang and Dataran Ipoh. 

The former People’s Park of Ipoh located beside the Kinta River has been transformed into a modern landscaped park. 

Known as the Kinta Riverfront Park, it has fountains, arches with mosque-like domes, a children’s playground and a recreational pool. 

There is also a mini-stage for schools or organisations to hold shows or concerts with ample space for mass exercise sessions and open-air exhibitions. 

Shady trees, believed to be over a century old, lush turf grass and colourful flowers,including Ipoh’s famous bougainvilleas, complete for attention. 

Part of Phase One of the Kinta Riverfront project, the RM4.4mil park, is mainly visitedby folks at night after dinnertime. 

Datuk Bandar Datuk Hasan Nawawi Abdul Rahman had said the park had brought life to the city at night and helped Ipoh Old Town shed its ‘sleepy hollow’ image. 

The park was built from funds allocated by the National Landscape Department. 

Since the Ipoh City Council manages these parks, they are frequently used for public activities and programmes. 

D.R. Seenivasagam Park, formerly known as Coronation Park, was set up in late 1960 and named after Ipoh’s former councillor and MP. 

Its facilities include children’s playground, an arena to drive motorised cars and tracks for jogging, cycling and skateboarding. 

There are also a few lakes in the 14ha park featuring bridges and boat riding facilities for families. 

Similar facilities are found at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Recreational Park which is popularly known as Polo Ground as it was first used for polo matches in the early 1960s. 

In 1970, the 11.6ha Polo Ground became a recreational park. 

It also has benches and fitness circuits with instructions on how to use the equipment. 

Accesibility to the parks

THE Sultan Abdul Aziz Recreational Park better known as Polo Ground is on Jalan Brash which is accessible through Jalan Raja Dihilir or Jalan Kelab Golf. 

Located a few hundred metres south of the park along Jalan Raja Dihilir is the Japanese Garden in front of the main entrance of the Perak Turf Club. 

The D.R. Seenivasagam Park along Jalan Raja Musa Aziz is located a little further fromthese two parks. It is accessible through Jalan Hospital. 

You have to take Jalan Raja Dihilir and get onto Jalan Hospital at the roundabout. 

Then drive straight until you reach another roundabout, take a right turn and the park is on the left.