Clean-up starting October for Kelana Jaya parks

Unkempt: The unswept dried leaves at the children's playground in the park. - filepic

Permanent contractors will be hired by Oct 1 to maintain Taman Bandaran Kelana Jaya and Taman Komuniti Kelana Jaya.

The deplorable conditions at the parks were recently featured in a StarMetro front-page story last Thursday.

Following the publication, Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Landscape Department director Zuraidah Sainan, councillor Azizi Ariffin and several residents in the neighbourhood visited the sites on Friday.

Zuraidah said the council hoped to speed up the appointment process of the permanent contractor. The delay in hiring one was attributed to a reorganisation of departments in MBPJ.

When asked why piles of rubbish had been left uncollected in the parks’ toilets, Zuraidah said it was due to a failed pilot project with a single mother group.

“The collection of waste was outsourced to the single mother group. However, it failed and this resulted in the rubbish not being collected. However, the council will take the necessary measures to keep the place tidy,” she said.

As for several abandoned restaurants and kiosks, Zuraidah said plans on how to revive them were still being discussed.

Sahabat Taman Kelana Jaya chairman Abu Bakar Abdul Rahman had suggested one of the restaurants be converted into a community hall or library.

Zuraidah said they would consider the suggestion.

During the visit, some of the broken amenities such as benches were fixed.

The charred motorcycle and shattered glass found at one of the entrances to the park were also removed.

Some of the equipment at the park is over 20 years old and Zuraidah said those in a dilapidated state would be replaced in stages.

She also said there were plans to demolish the a water fountain which was no longer working and had become an eyesore

On safety and security concerns, a spokesman said an enforcement officer patrolled the park on a bicycle during office hours and on weekends.

“We may consider placing CCTVs,” said the spokesman.

A source said the council lacked funds to beautify and maintain the parks.