AFTER successfully transforming the old phone booths along Beach Street into stunning mini libraries, Penggerak Komuniti Muda Pulau Pinang (Peka) will be value-adding the bus stop at Chowrasta Market next.
Its executive director Joshua Woo Sze Zeng said Peka is in support of the Penang government’s mission to inculcate reading habits among the people, especially the young.
“Our effort to promote healthy reading habits must not stop after we transformed abandoned old phone booths near the police station in Beach Street into stunning mini libraries.
“We plan to rejuvenate the bus stop at Chowrasta Market next, turning it into a bus stop-mini library.
“We will be working with Persatuan Kemajuan Nusa Pulau Pinang (Nusa) to realise this project,” Woo told Buletin Mutiara this morning.
“Peka will be coming up with the concept while Nusa will be helping with the general maintenance of the mini library, such as rearranging the books and others.
“We received numerous offers from the public who wish to donate their books. The public has been very supportive of our cause. We even have callers from Kuala Lumpur who wanted to donate books.
“This is very encouraging, and it boosts our spirit to do better for the community,” Woo said.
The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) meeting today announced the approval of the proposed project.
Councillor Tan Seng Keat read out the decision by the local council’s Infrastructure and Traffic standing committee during the MBPP meeting which was held virtually.
“The Infrastructure and Traffic standing committee has approved the proposal on March 9. The proposal is to rejuvenate the bus stop at Chowrasta Market into a library-concept bus stop,” he said.
Woo said the rejuvenation works of the Chowrasta Market bus stop were scheduled to start middle of April, following the approval by the MBPP.
“The upgrading works of the bus stop will be done in phases to minimise inconveniences to the bus commuters.
“We hope to complete the project within two months,” he said, adding that the estimated cost of the project was RM10,000.
Woo said that the project would be funded by the MBPP through councillor Nurhafiza Huda Idris.
He said that upon completion, the public could enjoy reading up to 100 books at the Chowrasta Market bus stop-mini library.
Woo said that upon completion, the public could enjoy reading up to 100 books at the Chowrasta Market bus stop-mini library.
“We encourage the public to return the books to the shelves after reading them. They can also donate their books to the mini library,” he said.
Story by Christopher Tan