New attraction: Rumaizi (second from left) and Norali after signing the MOU on the dinosaur park. Flanking them are councillor Datuk Ahmad Hariri Kamarudin (left) and Pebec Bhd’s principal consultant Tunku Datuk Ahmad Burhanuddin.
IPOH: Perak will be getting its first Dinosaur Park to be located at the Kinta Valley Geopark site.
The first phase would see some 30 static and animatronic dinosaurs, a learning centre, and a gift shop being set up, said Ipoh City Council mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin.This is expected to be opened in middle of next year in conjunction with Visit Perak Year 2024.
The second phase, he said, would begin about one year after the opening of phase one.
“It will probably house a 3D and 4D theatre, and a water play section,” he told reporters after a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony for the construction of the park with Pebec Bhd yesterday.
The MOU was signed between Rumaizi and the company’s chairman Norali Nordin.
Rumaizi said the park would be set up at the Gunung Lang recreational area on a 2.43ha land.
He said the recreational area was chosen because there was now a petting zoo as well as boating activities there.
“That location is thus ideal, as the recreational park has been recognised as one of the top five popular parks in the country according to data recorded on Google Maps.
“The status of the Geopark will not be affected as well, as the eco-friendly park is among the developments encouraged in such sites,” he said.
Rumaizi said there were currently six other dinosaur parks operating in Penang, Genting Highlands, Kuala Lumpur, Kuantan, Melaka and Sabah.
“However, this park in Perak will be unique as it is the first to be set up in a Geopark site,” he said.
Rumaizi said currently there were between 20,000 and 30,000 visitors in Gunung Lang monthly, adding that this number would double during school holidays.
“With the additional Dinosaur Park, the number will probably triple,” he added.
Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah had in 2018 declared Kinta Valley a national geopark.
The valley consists of a 1,952sq km area covering both Kinta and Kampar districts.
It has 18 sites within the geopark.
