Major renovations for the city’s sports centre

MIRI: The Miri Youth and Sports Centre is set to undergo a significant refurbishment, with construction to be carried out in two phases.

The project will receive both federal and state funding, according to Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts I (Tourism), Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew.

During a working visit to the centre yesterday, Ting who is also Piasau assemblyman revealed that the Sarawak government had approved an allocation of RM2 million, with construction work expected to begin early next year.

The federal government will contribute RM500,000 for the first phase, which is expected to start before the end of this year.

Ting also hinted at the possibility of adding a pickleball court, deemed as a fast-growing sport in Miri.

“Pickleball is gaining popularity here, and it would be great to have dedicated courts for it. Miri is actually where pickleball started in Malaysia,” he shared, noting that the Miri Pickleball Club is active, with five clubs currently in existence.

Both the chairman of the Sarawak Pickleball Association and the president of the Malaysia Pickleball Association are also from Miri.

In addition to the pickleball court, Ting also conveyed plans to construct multi-purpose courts to cater for a wider range of sports activities.

“We are looking at building more multi-purpose courts to accommodate other sports and provide the community with more recreational options,” he said.

The Miri Youth and Sports Centre, which has a rich history dating back to its construction by Shell in 1913, had seen several upgrading over the years.

The original building was demolished and replaced in 1929, only to be destroyed during World War II. It was rebuilt in 1946 but was again destroyed in a fire.

The current structure, handed over by Sarawak Shell to the state government in 1979, will now undergo much-needed renovations to better serve the community.

Ting emphasised the importance of the refurbishment, saying, “The upgrades to the centre are crucial for promoting a healthy lifestyle and enhancing sports facilities for the people of Miri.”