New YMCA Community Park at Terap Lane to enrich community life in Sibu

SIBU (Feb 8): The new Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) Community Park to be developed at Terap Lane here marks a meaningful, community-driven initiative to benefit the community, said Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng.

The RM350,000 project, implemented under Chieng’s Rural Transformation Programme (RTP), is expected to be completed and opened to the public by the end of the year.

Spanning approximately 1,297 square metres, the YMCA Community Park will be the first community park serving residents in the surrounding areas of Brooke Drive, and Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg.

Chieng said the project goes beyond physical development, focusing instead on long-term value for the community.

“From the outset, our focus has not been merely on building a park, but on ensuring that it is actively used, well maintained, and able to deliver long-term value to the community,” he said during the ground-breaking ceremony yesterday.

Also present were Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting, SMC landscape architect Angela Swin, YMCA Sibu president Senator Robert Lau, deputy president Dato Janet Lau, vice president Wong Ei Sing, and secretary Teresa Lau.

Chieng recalled that discussions with YMCA Sibu on managing the park began as early as 2023.

With the support of SMC, it was agreed that the YMCA would adopt and manage the space as a vibrant community hub known as the YMCA Community Park.

Although modest in size, the park is expected to offer a welcoming space for recreation, exercise, and social interaction.

“More importantly, it encourages children and families to spend time outdoors, reconnect with nature, and embrace healthier lifestyles,” he said.

Chieng noted that the project aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-being, SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals.

Meanwhile, Ting said the project reflects a long-standing smart partnership model that began in 1999, initiated by the late Datuk Robert Lau.

He cited Hing Hua Centennial Memorial Park and Sibu Foochow Park as successful examples of such collaborations.

“That is why Sibu has many of such smart partnership gardens. One example that is doing very well is the Hing Hua Garden (Hing Hua Centennial Memorial Park),” he said.

“And lately, we added the Foochow Garden (Sibu Foochow Park) in the spirit of this smart partnership,” he said, adding that partners selected for these projects were capable of ensuring the parks remained well maintained and ones that the people of Sibu could take pride in.

Lau, the YMCA Sibu president, expressed hope that the park would be fully utilised not only by nearby residents but by the wider Sibu community.

“I hope this kind of project will continue in all public spaces in Sibu,” he said.

“And on behalf of YMCA Sibu, I encourage more Sibu folk to join our programme and make Sibu a better place for everyone,” he added.