DBKL mulling over late closure of public metropolitan parks

KUALA LUMPUR: The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is mulling over allowing several public metropolitan parks in the federal capital to be open until late at night.
Its executive director (planning) Datuk Mohd Najib Mohd said this followed overwhelming request from the public to use the facilities available at the parks at night.
"In fact, many city folks prefer to indulge in recreational activities at the parks at night as the weather is quite hot in the morning and afternoon," he said, adding that among the facilities which the public liked to use at night were skate park, jogging track, football field and playground.
Currently, the 16 metropolitan parks in the federal capital are open from 7am to 7pm. Now, DBKL is studying the possibility of extending operational time to 10pm.
"We are studying the facilities available at the parks because the element of security is very important when we allow the parks to operate at night.
"So, we need to know how many more guard houses are needed, entrances to be guarded and ensure the lighting is good to enable us to manage (the parks) well," Mohd Najib told reporters at a pre-launch of the Kuala Lumpur Orchid and Bonsai Show 2017 here today.
Among the parks identified for this purpose were Taman Pudu Ulu, Cheras and Taman Titiwangsa, he said.
In fact, he said allowing public metropolitan parks to operate until late at night was the aspiration of Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor for the well-being of the residents in the city. — Bernama