IPOH, July 13 – The 108-year-old Ipoh Town Hall building, situated in the heart of the city here, is set to be transformed into a performing arts centre by early next year, Bernama reported.
The white colonial-style building, which served as a British administrative centre in the early 1917s, can accommodate up to 600 people at a time.
The old post office in the rear of the town hall building is also being restored and will be turned into an art gallery.
The transformation is being undertaken under Package 2 of the Ipoh Heritage Tourism (IHT) initiative overseen by the Ipoh City Council (MBI) as part of its efforts to preserve the city’s heritage buildings so that they remain vibrant and do not fall into disuse.
Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin said the renovation cost of over RM11 million is being funded by the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority, adding that the project focused on the restoration of the town hall building’s architecture and structural elements as well as its electrical, mechanical and audiovisual systems, and landscaping.
“This project is a continuation of IHT Package 1A, which involved development at Ipoh Padang and Package 1B involving (the upgrading of) Kinta Riverwalk, which were completed on March 8, 2022.
“For the IHT Package 2 project, the conservation work began on Nov 21, 2022, and was fully completed on May 20 (this year) as originally scheduled. We expect to open this facility (performing arts centre) to the public early next year (2025),” he told Bernama.
Rumaizi said the project will not only boost the local music industry but is also in alignment with Ipoh’s designation as a “City of Music” by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in November last year.
