A YOUTH Park is to be developed by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports which will act as a venue for the youth to conduct their favourite activities such as skateboarding, remote control cars and musical performances.

Planned to be located in front of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, the $982,213 Youth Park is the government's answer to youth associations that have previously pleaded for an official venue for their interests.

In an interview, Hjh Norlah Hj Yaakub, Acting Director of Youth and Sports Development said that it was in the interest of the ministry to deliver such facilities to meet the recreational needs of youth in a proper and organised manner.

Through the establishment of the Youth Park and the accessibility of the facilities, youth-related associations, for example of the Remote Control Cars (RCC), will be able to carry out their competitions locally as opposed of having them travel to distant destinations such as Miri.

The main facilities of the park will be a Skatepark, an RCC track and a stage that can be used for musical performances. The facilities were decided based on popular demand from the youth associations.

"Hopefully, it will encourage the youth to take part in these remote control car (or skateboard) activities to fill in their spare time in a beneficial manner," she said.

At approximately 200 square metres, or the equivalent of two football fields, the park will be able to accommodate "hundreds" of people, said Hj Norlah. She did not rule out that it could accommodate 1,000.

In addition to its development, the Department of Youth and Sports will also be looking into the maintenance and cleanliness management of the park with the assistance of the voluntary youth associations in the Sultanate.

Present during yesterday's ceremony was Permanent Secretaries Dato Paduka Hj Jemat Hj Ampal and Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Hamid Hj Mohd Jaafar as well as Acting Permanent Secretary 1 Hj Mohd Hj Abd Rahman who received the contract for the development from a representative from Contractor Dorea Sdn Bhd.

Construction of the park will begin next month, with plans to complete it by April 2012. The Brunei Times