A garden for Sentul folks
The Star (Metro), 14 May 2003
By CHOW HOW BAN
SENTUL will have a new landmark exclusively for residents of the revitalised Sentul Raya development.
The 14ha park at Sentul West, which is the first private gated park in Malaysia, will offer a garden in the city experience.
At an introduction ceremony for the park recently, YTL Corporation Bhd managing director Tan Sri Francis Yeoh said the park was not only a new landmark in Kuala Lumpur but would also set a new benchmark for property development in the country.
He said the park would house many new elements, including pocket parks to improve the look of Sentul, ha-has (landscaping features that help create pockets of privacy) and boating, camping and trekking activities.
Other facilities include a hot-air balloon centre, children’s petting farm, lawns for open-air movies and concerts as well as forest trails.
Formerly the 85-year-old Sentul Raya golf course, the park is for residents in the Sentul West development.
Sentul West is part of the entire project, which includes Sentul East, Festival Plaza and skywalk facilities.
“Our vision to establish a new address in Malaysia will be realised soon when we launch our maiden residential project in Sentul West called The Maple.
Residents of The Maple would be among the first to have access to the green lung and its amenities,” said Yeoh.
So far, the Tamarind condominium project in Sentul East has been launched.
He said the park was “inexpensive” compared to other private gated parks in London and New York.
“We will be maintaining the park. There will be a service charge (to be paid by the residents in Sentul West),” he said, adding that the park could not be made public because of security reasons.
Landscape architect Carolyn Lau from SekSan Design said the project would create a park community that inspired a new way of living in the city.
She said the public would also get a shared view of the park from strategic spots at the park’s parameters.
Naturalist Yip Yoon Wah, who will take up the job as park manager there, said the natural features already existed and now it was only a question of how to capitalise and make use of them.
“We have to make use of these natural features which are part and parcel of the park,” he said.
Yip said the landscaping team would have to nurture their own trees and plants to ensure it was of the desired number and size.
“With a bit of imagination and planning, we will be able to recreate a rainforest. We did that at FRIM. It used to be overgrown with lalang some years ago.
“But creating the park at Sentul West is not an overnight job and will take some time,” he said.
Yip’s immediate job is to document the trees and wildlife found at the park. This information will be compiled and published in a booklet to be given to buyers of the units at the Sentul Raya residential project.
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