Kuching Park upgrade a boost to city’s child-friendly, green urban spaces

KUCHING (Jan 16): The upgrading of Kuching Park is a positive step in Sarawak’s efforts to strengthen environmental sustainability while promoting a greener urban lifestyle, said Datuk Wee Hong Seng.

The Kuching South mayor said the project is part of the Kuching South City Council’s (MBKS) Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) Action Plan under ‘Theme 4: Every Child Participates’, specifically ‘Outcome 4: Child-Friendly Green and Garden City Participation’.

“Through this initiative, we are enhancing our public parks with child-friendly designs that encourage children to play, interact and participate actively in a safe and supportive environment,” he told reporters during a visit to Kuching Park on Friday.

Wee said the RM319,200 upgrading works include the removal of worn-out rubber flooring, which will be replaced with a new impact-absorbing playground safety surface made from recycled Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR) granules.

“The use of rubber safety flooring is a key element of this child-friendly design, as it significantly improves impact absorption and reduces the risk of injury, ensuring a safer play experience for our children,” he said.

He added that the rubber safety flooring is produced entirely in Sarawak using recycled tyres sourced locally, highlighting the project’s support for sustainable practices and local industries.

The project, undertaken by Era Rafiqa Sdn Bhd, began on Dec 22, 2025, and is scheduled for completion on Feb 21, 2026.

Wee noted that Kuching Park will be temporarily closed to the public to facilitate the upgrading works.