Site Visit to Taman Melawati River Three Park: A Community-Led Initiative for Sustainable Development
Today, we had the privilege of being invited to a site visit by Mr. Kennedy Michael, the founder of Alliance of River Three (ART!), to observe the progress and development of Taman Melawati River Three SDG (TMR3 SDG Park). This remarkable community-led initiative aligns with all SDGs especially #SDG 17 Partnership for the Goals, bringing together multiple stakeholders to build and enable amenities, communities, and a circular economy.
Kennedy Micheal
The vision of ART! is ambitious yet attainable, with the following key objectives:
Operational Riverine Park by 2030: To complete a fully operational and model riverine park by 2030 or sooner. The goal is to restore the river ecosystem at the park to a state as close to its natural form as possible, creating a living study for future generations.
Community-Driven Solutions: To demonstrate how every community can use a place-based approach to proactively solve local issues. This includes initiatives focused on biodiversity conservation, riverine restoration, waste management, and climate action.
Model Riverine Parks: To showcase ART!'s riverine parks, including Taman Melawati and Mid Valley River Three SDG Parks. Through substantial effort, these parks are transformed into low-waste, biodiverse, resilient, and protected rivers and riverbanks.
SDG-Driven Continuous Effort: o utilize high-impact, SDG-driven continuous efforts. This approach aims to produce a living site that can be emulated by any individual or organization in Malaysia. It is a citizen-led, designed, driven, and implemented solution to pollution, degradation, and environmental threats.
S.T.E.A.M and Citizen Science: To solve environmental and community problems using S.T.E.A.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), citizen science, and collaborative, creative, measurable, and replicable methodologies, principles, and practices.
The visit was part of Placemaking Malaysia’s Community Day, hosted by the Malaysian Institute of Planners (MIP) where volunteers could earn CPD points while contributing to the initiative. ART! was awarded the MIP Placemaking Diamond Award for Game Changing Place last year.
During the visit, we were shown the beautiful beginnings of the Klang River. The site serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of our actions to keep such vital waterways pristine and clean. The collaborative effort at TMR3 SDG Park exemplifies how a community-led initiative, supported by scientific and sustainable principles, can create a significant impact on local environments and communities.
The commitment and hard work of the Alliance of River Three, alongside other stakeholders, are paving the way for a model of environmental stewardship and sustainable development that can inspire similar efforts across Malaysia and beyond. We are grateful for the opportunity to witness this progress and look forward to supporting and participating in future developments.
