Kota Kinabalu, Saturday, 2 November 2024
Gee Tien Siong, Luyang Community Development Leader (PPM), today issued an update on the ongoing renovations at Tun Fuad Stephens Park, a vital green space for the community, addressing public concerns and clarifying recent developments affecting its regular visitors and hawkers impacted by the park’s closure.
“I understand the frustrations of Kota Kinabalu residents, particularly those who frequent this place and our hawkers who have had to relocate due to the renovation,” said Gee. “I encourage everyone to stay hopeful and patient as we work towards delivering a revitalised park that will serve our community while preserving its natural beauty and local culture.”
Gee met with Bona Lee, the project manager of the contracted company, to review the project’s progress and discuss public concerns. Lee explained that continuous rainfall over the past three months has created difficult working conditions, leading to unavoidable delays. However, he noted that overall, the completion of the project is reaching 70%.
Despite these challenges, the contractor is committed to a partial opening by 19 February 2025, allowing public access to essential areas such as toilets, jogging tracks, and stalls. To address the inconvenience faced by relocated hawkers, the contractor promised to work with DBKK to arrange a temporary water supply and is prioritising toilet renovations, aiming for completion within the next two months.
Lee also noted that the water lake in the park was carefully half-drained to preserve aquatic life during the renovations and has now returned to its regular floodgate overflowing cycle, ensuring the ecosystem remains healthy. He reassured the community that the project is being carried out with a focus on protecting the environment while enhancing amenities, ensuring the park continues to be a vibrant space for all to enjoy.
Addressing the park’s official name, Lee stated that they had been instructed to add the word “Botani” after “Taman” on the park’s main entrance arch, officially renaming it “Taman Botani Tun Fuad Stephens.” This change preserves the legacy of Sabah’s first Chief Minister while enhancing the park’s identity as a botanical space.
In light of Lee’s insights, Gee condemned an irresponsible social media post by the Luyang Assemblyman, which claimed, “Sabah Botanical Park is her new name.” Gee emphasised the confusion this has caused among residents.
Gee concluded by encouraging regular park-goers and hawkers to continue sharing their feedback, expressing hope that the park will meet their expectations upon reopening.