Heritage trail to introduce historical sites.

Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur is now hiring contractors for its Heritage Trail project which is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The aim of the project is to take local and foreign tourists on a historical journey of the various sites in Kuala Lumpur before independence to the present day.

The trail will begin at Museum Negara and the story of each site will be etched on ceramic tiles. In front of the National Mosque, gazebos, stalls and a seating area will be built.

From there, visitors are able to visit the parks, Police Museum , Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, Perdana Botanical Gardens or Tun Razak Memorial. Further down, the trail leads to Dataran Merdeka, which will be upgraded to include, waterfalls, pictures of past prime ministers and landscaping.

At Medan Pasar, a big arch will be built and Jalan Tun Perak will be upgraded as part of the River of Life project. There will also be a photo spot to allow photographers to get a better angle of Masjid Jamek.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Tan Sri Ahmad Fuad Ismail said although there was a need for new development in the city it was important to retain some areas with historical past. He said there were stories to be told and they needed to be linked from one point to another.

“We have the product but we do not have the proper storyline to show people. “If you are on the heritage trail you will start from a certain point and move on from there. The trail is not all about historical sites as it will also include modern developments like the KLCC and Pavilion.

“We want to preserve the old buildings but make certain enhancements to give it more value,” he said.

He also spoke about developments in areas like Petaling Street , which is a favourite among tourists.