Update (Sep 8): If you have suggestions on the development of Taman Tugu, join the dialogue sessions with Khazanah Nasional's Managing Director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar on Sep 9 and Sep 10, 10am-12noon. The sessions will be held at Level 7, Mercu UEM, Jalan Sentral 5. Entry is via pre-registration at the website.
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KLites can now look forward to Taman Tugu, a new sprawling urban rainforest park behind the Tugu Negara National Monument by 2018. According to The Malay Mail Online, the RM650million project aims to be as iconic as New York's Central Park and London's Hyde Park. (Wait, would that mean we can also expect a local TV series to tweak the Taman Tugu name for a fictional coffeehouse, such as ‘FRIENDS’ did with Central Perk?)
Taman Tugu is set to be populated with (an expected) 6,000 trees over 66 acres of land, almost akin to a real forest. That means we'll soon get park features that focus on the environment, recreation and learning: expect a rainforest information centre, camping site, canopy walks and zip lines, water play area, paths for joggers, pedestrians and cyclists, gazebos and sightseeing platforms, and food and drink shops. It'll also be easier to get to, with a walkway linking the park to the Perdana Botanical Gardens and KL Sentral.
Photo: Khazanah Nasional
The Taman Tugu project is led by Khazanah Nasional with Kuala Lumpur City Hall and supported by various stakeholders. This entire project is estimated to cost RM650 million; however, Khazanah will be contributing RM500 million on a ‘not-for-profit and corporate social responsibility basis’. The Forest Research Institute of Malaysia and the Malaysian Nature Society will be consulted for the park's conservation and replanting strategy.
For more info, visit tamantugu.com.my