The Sungai Ara Linear Park – also known as Sungai Ara Waterfront – is a community park located at the heart of Sungai Ara township. It’s one of the recreational places for residents of Sungai Ara, where children can enjoy the playground with their friends under the watchful eyes of their parents, and where seniors can do their workouts, such as Zumba, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, line dance or other common exercises. These everyday activities have enlivened the Sungai Ara Linear Park and made it one of the most visited community parks in the Southwest District. The key attraction is the Sungai Ara River that flows through it.
Declared the country’s cleanest river in 2015 by Malaysia’s Department of Environment, Sungai Ara River has become a proud icon of Sungai Ara township. The Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP; now known as Penang Island City Council, MBPP) began to develop a Linear park in the early 2000’s, at the vacant land behind the Sungai Ara (Tamil) Primary School. The linear park was expanded in 2010’s when the city council took back additional land along the river that had been illegally occupied by cow herders and small vegetable farms.
Today, the Sungai Ara Linear Park is a clean, green recreational area much appreciated by nearby residents. The river at the centre of the park makes it an attraction for city dwellers. To safeguard the park’s natural habitat, Penang State Government has piloted a project where local residents work with local, state and federal agencies, such as Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS) and Penang Island City Council, to maintain the park and its surrounding areas. The project included stabilising the riverbanks and placing stone blocks in the river to facilitate crossing. These efforts have turned the park into a family-friendly recreational spot.