BY WONG PEK MEI

The Bamboo Playhouse is made of 31 decks that were built by phases and is equipped with solar panels on the roof.

KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) wants to work closely with the corporate sector to create more “pocket parks”.

Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Dr Loga Bala Mohan said existing parks in Kuala Lumpur would be upgraded and new parks would be created under the “Greener KL” programme.

“The parks that will be upgraded include Taman Danau Kota, Taman Rimba Bukit Kerinchi and pocket parks where food trucks will be included,” he said at the launch of the Bamboo Playhouse at Perdana Botanical Garden.

Loga Bala said there were five pocket parks in the city including one off Jalan Kuching.

“The parks were built by companies and we hope more will come in,” he said, adding that Medan Imbi was the next location DBKL was looking at to create a pocket park but there were no sponsors yet.

Asked about the cost for the upgrading of the parks and creation of pocket parks in the city, he said the ministry would partner companies to build more pocket parks as part of their corporate social responsibility and manage the park themselves.

“So we do not need much allocation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz said 16 food truck vendors in Kuala Lumpur had been issued temporary licences.

“There are still 86 applicants waiting for approval. The ministry, DBKL and Tekun Nasional will interview them to determine who deserve the licence,” he said, adding that street traders could still apply for temporary licences to operate food trucks.

On the RM2mil Bamboo Playhouse, Amin Nordin said it had 31 decks that were built by phases and was equipped with solar panels on the roof.

“This green technology will reduce the use of cable for light at night and this is suitable for the playhouse located on an ‘island’,” he said.

“It is like a treehouse with the children having to use steps made of bamboo to reach five baskets,” he said.

He said the place could be rented out for parties and other occasions. “We hope more people will come here and enjoy the new facility,” he added.

Amin Nordin also said that DBKL was upgrading the facilities at Panggung Anniversari in Taman Botani Perdana.