Sports facility ready but off limits till 2025

THE construction of a sports facility on the former Kelab Sukan Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (KSDBKL) site on Jalan Tun Sambanthan 1 in Brickfields is finally complete.

However, residents will have to wait until 2025 to use the facility and they are not happy.

The completed facility consists of a new football field, basketball courts and futsal court.

New football field and multi-purpose court in Brickfields will be open to the public in January 2025. — LOW BOON TAT/The Star

The original sports complex, which sits on a 2.42ha site, was demolished in 2017 and a sports facility project to replace it was announced in 2021.

However, the project, which was supposed to be ready by August 2023, had faced multiple delays.

“Why make us wait until next year (to use the facility)? We have waited too long already,” complained Brickfields resident Raja Gopal.

Another resident, PK Rajan, urged Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to expedite the opening.

“Brickfields has faced the loss of many playing fields to development, the former DBKL sports complex included,” he said.

Eagle-eyed stakeholders have also raised concerns regarding the absence of essential infrastructure at the new facility.

Bangsar resident M. Viknendran said there were no toilets and changing rooms.Ghani wonders who will manage the facility.

“I expected the facility to have toilets and changing rooms on-site,” Viknendran said.

Local Agenda 21 (LA21) Safe City KL coordinator Ghani Mohamed echoed Viknendran’s concerns, and asked about management arrangements for the facility.

“Who is responsible for managing this facility?

“Is it the DBKL sports department, or the former sports club management?”

Brickfields Rukun Tetangga chairman SKK Naidu reiterated the necessity to provide basic amenities.

“For any sports facility, you need the basics to be included, like a toilet. I find it strange that they left it out,” Naidu added.

When contacted, DBKL in a statement issued through its corporate communications unit to StarMetro, said the sports facility was completed in early 2024 and would be managed by its Culture, Arts, Tourism and Sports Department.Naidu says any facility should include basic infrastructure.

DBKL said the sports facility was expected to be open to the public by January 2025, after the end of the defect liability period, to ensure the facility was in good condition for public use.

There was, however, no mention of toilets or changing room facilities.

StarMetro previously highlighted the scarcity of playing fields and open spaces in Kuala Lumpur, in particular around Brickfields.

Former Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah had pledged to replace the demolished football field and approved plans for its restoration at the former DBKL sports club location.

The restoration plan was supposed to include basic facilities such as toilets, changing rooms and parking lot, alongside other amenities.

Constructed in 1970, the former DBKL sports club served as a significant venue for City Hall staff and the Kuala Lumpur football team during the 1980s, hosting renowned football personalities such as Rashid Hassan, Razip Ismail, Chow Siew Yai and Fandi Ahmad.