Old Town

A friend of mine was here in PJ for a meeting last Wednesday. We proceed to PJ Old Town for a cup of coffee at the Old Town White Coffee Cafe after that. This Cafe is a franchise coffee shop originated from Ipoh, and although coincidence with the locality have nothing to do with PJ Old Town. If Ipoh Old Town can become a household brand name, i wonder why can't PJ Old Town be recognised the same way? Perhaps we should reshape the outlook of PJ Old Town or bring back the life to this settlement. Any plan to redevelop this area should consider its' special features and historical value.

PJ Old Town, the original town centre for Petaling Jaya New Town was named such after the Section 52 Town Centre was developed and named as PJ New Town. Local residents have fond memory of Old Town still can recall the glory days of PJ Old Town. The stopping by of buses plying the KL-Klang route via Old Klang Road, the bars served many expatriates including Sir Gerald Templer, the Majestic Cinema, the first national type school of Jalan 10, Road 1 before it was renamed as Jalan Templer and many more stories. These historical moments as disseminated orally by residents might be faded away and forgotten if no efforts are planned to compile it. It is a living heritage. Old Town will become another urban area with similar typology and prototype elsewhere if the social fabric is missing.

By virtue as the oldest settlement in PJ, we noticed that many houses are in dilapidated condition and some have even emptied for long. This phenomena can be contributed by the upkeep of houses by owners due to ownership and leasing problems. Having said this, we noticed few houses have been redeveloped with modern design. While it is encouraging to witness this changes, sprawl development might occur again without any proper planning guidelines. Perhaps it is time to draw out some design guidelines for having a sustainable urban village here.

Perhaps, and perhaps something from the soft point of views should be given serious consideration.