Facilities like barbeque pits and pavilion are still available at the park but they are in poor condition.
MIRI: Taman Selera, which used to be the oldest recreational public park here, is no longer a property of Miri City Council (MCC).
According to Miri Mayor Lawrence Lai, the beachfront park at Tanjung Lobang now belongs to the developer of Taman Selera’s redevelopment project.
The developer uses Dubai as the blueprint for the masterplan to transform this city into an ultra modern recreational, shopping, dining, entertainment and residential area in the state.
“Taman Selera is no longer the council’s property, thus anything happening in the park area is now under the developer’s responsibility,” he told the media after chairing a full council meeting on Monday.
Lai was responding to the Taman Selera issue highlighted by the councillors who were concerned over the safety of visitors to the park.
Although many people were aware that Taman Selera was now subject to redevelopment, some thought the recreational park still belonged to MCC.
Some requested the council to maintain the existing facilities in the recreational park such as the grand stage, pavilion and barbeque facilities, which were in poor condition.
“There is nothing that we can do as the area is not our property anymore.
“On the existing facilities, the council has asked the developer to maintain the facilities if they want to keep them; or demolish them if they are not safe for the public.”
He cited an incident when a tree fell on the pavilion in the park, which the council asked the developer to clear for public safety.
On the next phase of the project, he hoped that the developer would temporarily fence the construction site to prevent public access.