BUTTERWORTH: The Seberang Perai City Council has spent almost RM400,000 to upgrade the public car park and multi-purpose complex at Lebuh Kampung Benggali, which is used for futsal, basketball, sepak takraw and volleyball.
It also features a pedestrian friendly walkway and “softscape” elements, such as trees and grass to enhance the green lung factor in the surrounding areas.
The project is the final component of an initiative that includes the Butterworth Digital Library, Lebuh Kampung Benggali Pocket Park and a public swimming pool, all in the same area.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the upgrade, implemented under the Integrated Precinct Community Hub Project, had been planned since 2021 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He added that the revitalisation of an area or city does not necessarily have to be at the expense of local residents.
“Urban renewal is not confined to infrastructure development alone. It also involves invigorating the local community by providing spaces for the preservation of culture and heritage, as well as encouraging public participation as outlined in the Penang 2030 Vision,” he said during the project launch on Feb 15.
The Lebuh Kampung Benggali Pocket Park was completed in 2017 and includes swings, exercise equipment and a walk path.
The Butterworth Digital Library, completed in 2020, is a double-storey building equipped with a community hall, digital library, conference and seminar rooms, teleconference room, indoor playground for children and a cafeteria.
The public swimming pool is open to both adults and children, with an admission fee of RM3 per person.
Chow added that Butterworth has undergone a process of regeneration since 2015 with the establishment of the Butterworth Baharu Unit (BBU), which is a collaboration between the Seberang Perai City Council and ThinkCity.
He said BBU carried out various infrastructure projects and community programmes such as Alun Arus, the Butterworth Fringe Festival, Kampung Benggali Pocket Park and the Rain Garden on Jalan Jeti Lama.
Meanwhile, Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng revealed that the multi-purpose court measuring 1,466sq ft had received 81% approval from 325 local residents through a stakeholder engagement session with the community held on March 28, 2021.
Mayor Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid said the council is committed to providing quality public facilities that are user-friendly.
“This upgrade project demonstrates our dedication to empowering infrastructure development for the well-being of the local community.
“Hopefully, these facilities will be fully utilised by the community to encourage a healthier, more harmonious lifestyle.”
Also present at the project launch were Sungai Puyu state assemblyman Phee Syn Tze, Bagan Jermal state assemblyman Chee Yeeh Keen, Bagan Dalam state assemblyman Kumaran Krishnan and council secretary Mohd Ibrahim Md Nor.
According to a council spokesman, the Butterworth Baharu Regeneration Programme includes the Arus Alun, which is an outreach initiative aimed at promoting local artistes, and The Butterworth Fringe Festival, which also celebrates arts and culture, with both events being held at the field area of The ARC, also known as Dataran Pemuda Merdeka in Butterworth.
The ARC is a public sculpture inspired by the stories of the Penang Strait and is located at Bagan Luar.
Jeti Lama Rain Garden, on the other hand, is part of the regeneration programme to revive Jalan Jeti Lama at Kampung Gajah and consists of a stage, pond, benches and lights, with a pocket park and a vehicle parking lot.
