KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 — City Hall (DBKL) has identified another seven laneways within downtown Kuala Lumpur for upgrades under its programme to promote and develop the city as a creative and cultural zone.
Mayor Datuk Nor Hisham Dahlan announced this today after unveiling the renovated Lorong Bandar 13, the first in the programme that will upgrade nine such laneways in total.
“Today marks the completion of the first of nine targeted laneways for improvement and the second demonstrative laneways improvement is at Lorong Sisi Yap Ah Loy,” he said during the signing of an extended memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Think City Sdn Bhd today.
The extended MoU is for a three-year collaboration starting this year up to 2021.
The remaining laneways were identified today as Lorong Lebuh Ampang, Lorong Hang Lekiu, Lorong Tun HS Lee South and North, Lorong Pudu, Lorong Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Lorong Hang Kasturi South.
“We expect the downtown KL will become the country’s vibrant and cultural district, attracting new investments in creative industries as well as a higher value of tourism,” he said.
This collaboration started in 2015 when DBKL and Think City established a series of space activation projects culminating in the 2018 Works Urban Forum.
Nor Hisham expressed his agency’s happiness with Think City partnership, saying the firm has a proven track record in executing such programmes in George Town, Penang, and Johor Baru in Johor.
Think City managing director Hamdan Abdul Majeed said that in the last two years, the organisation has been working closely with DBKL’s planning, building and landscape Department to improve the public realm.
“We have been working with the private sector and local communities to catalyse community-focused urban regeneration,” he said.
As an urban rejuvenation organisation, Hamdan said Think City will provide technical assistance and share best practices with DBKL that will cover a broad range of works to create a thriving art, heritage and creative zone.
