Work to reinforce and rebuild the Seawall and Esplanade are nearing completion.
The construction which had been delayed by the pandemic of the past two years should wrap up by April 2022.
Penang State Exco for Housing, Local Government, Town and Country Planning, Jagdeep Singh Deo made a visit to the site recently.
The project is a collaboration between the Penang Island City Council, Think City, Conservation and Development Corporation, Chief Minister Incorporated and the Heritage Department.
Among the components of the project is a promenade and a linear park.
Meanwhile, the seawall in question stretches for about 460m from the Medan Renong Food Court on the west side to the Royal Malaysian Navy base at the eastern end of the Esplanade. Future plans foresee the expansion of the public promenade all the way to the entrance to Swettenham Pier along the East seafront.
George Town’s seawall was not built in one go, but in bits and pieces over nearly two centuries, according to necessity and available funds. In the early 19th century, rock revetment and mass gravity walls were the preferred method of controlling erosion in the face of the Penang Strait’s incessant waves.
The wall and the promenade had reached a critical condition in 2017, and an in-depth dilapidation survey was carried out.
Poorly repaired wall patches, missing masonry and extensive cavities were increasingly evident along the entire length of the seawall. These had undermined toe protection and determined the collapse of parts of the structure.
“Our Esplanade seawall restoration project will be delivered come April. It will see a 460 meters walkway and promenade. The total cost of construction, funded by the Penang government and MBPP, is RM12.9 million. Think City contributed RM1.5 million towards advisory services for a detailed site conservation study,” said Jagdeep.
Other projects there include the partial reinstatement of the moats at Fort Cornwallis, the extension of the Lebuh Light boulevard, the completion of other public walkways in the North Seafront area, the improvement of public facilities and playground near the Astaka FoodCourt, as well as the refurbishment of the Dewan Sri Pinang.
“We are also planning for a green linear park which will be another icon for Penang at a cost of nearly RM15 million is part of the Northern Seafront Project which covers some 10 physical projects at a cost of nearly RM 40 million, some of which have already been completed such as the Esplanade field, Fountain Garden, Light Street Boulevard, Clock Tower, and the State Assembly,” added Jagdeep.
