GEORGE TOWN: The 135-year-old Penang Botanical Garden (PBG), which is the oldest in the country, is set to undergo a major facelift.
There are 25 projects listed under the Penang Botanical Garden Master Plan, which is part of a Special Area Plan. Seven of those 25 projects are expected to be implemented in stages beginning this year.
The seven main projects are the Central Visitor Centre, Park Conservation and Research Centre, Malaysiana Boulevard, repair of the existing Garden Mall, Natural Amphitheater, nursery facilities, irrigation systems and the observation deck.
State Local Government Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said works for the Central Visitor Centre will start soon.
"The project will enhance the visitors’ experience and provide better services for Botanical Garden goers," he said today.
Also present was the PBG curator Dr Saw Leng Guan.
Jagdeep said the Central Visitor Centre will provide various amenities, including parking lots. The Park Conservation and Research Centre will contain a herbarium and become a place for plant research.
The Malaysiana Boulevard will feature plants with names related to landmarks in the country, while the Natural Amphitheater will boast a reflective pool within an open space.
He said the state government aspired to list the Penang Botanical Garden as a Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage Site, similar to the recognition given to London’s Kew Gardens and the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
"We are looking into the guidelines and will comply with the requirements. That can be done because the curator, Dr Saw Leng Guan will know what are the guidelines and how we will comply with them," he said.
PBG, fondly known as the Waterfall Gardens by Penangites was established in 1884. It is one of the only few man-made botanical gardens in the world.
With the famous Penang Hill as its backdrop, PBG serves as a green lung to the state.
The first curator of PBG was Charles Curtis, who transformed the previously granite quarry site into a park that is still loved by many people today.
Health conscious folks love to jog around the park early in the mornings and evenings while taking in the fresh air.