By Zaki Salleh
Photo: Fb Wong Kah Woh
TAIPING: The installation of floodlights at the Taiping Esplanade, Phase 1, has now been completed.
Taiping Member of Parliament, Wong Kah Woh, stated that this installation is another initiative by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) funded through an approved allocation.
Kah Woh, who is also the Deputy Minister of Education, explained that the project involved a cost of approximately RM490,000.
“This is part of the Madani government’s initiative to provide public amenities for the people,” he said.
The Taiping Esplanade holds its own historical significance as it was the first open field in the country, existing during the colonial era.
The term “Esplanade” is derived from the Spanish word meaning a flat or wide area.
Originally, the Taiping Esplanade was an open space used for military activities such as parades and official events, as well as for sporting events.
It was built by Colonel Robert S.F. Walker, a military police commander at the time, in 1890.
At that time, the location was also surrounded by camps or headquarters for the Federal Police force and British military garrison.
