PETALING JAYA (May 30): Gamuda Land, the property development arm of Gamuda Bhd, held a ground-breaking ceremony for Malaysia's first Luge Activity Park by Queenstown-based leisure and entertainment operator Skyline Enterprises at the Gamuda Gardens township in Rawang, Selangor on Monday.

"By harnessing our expertise in town-making and leveraging fruitful collaboration with like-minded partners such as Skyline Enterprises for our community place-making, today's ceremony demonstrates how we are able to create sustainable developments which can cater to the needs and wants of people, especially ones that are surrounded by nature with ample public spaces for the community," said Gamuda Land chief operating officer Chu Wai Lune in a press release.

The ceremony, which marks the beginning of construction of the Skyline Luge Activity Park that is slated to open to the public by end-2023, was officiated by Gamuda Land chief executive officer (CEO) Ngan Chee Meng, alongside Skyline Enterprises CEO Geoff McDonald, and was witnessed by New Zealand High Commissioner Pam Dunn, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) deputy CEO of investment, promotion and facilitation Sivasuriyamoorthy Sundara Raja and New Zealand Trade Commissioner Catherine Rusby.

The Luge Activity Park will be built on a 30,000 sq m site and will feature the world's first multi-cornered zipline and the country's first-ever ski lift ride. It will feature the Skyline Luge, which is designed to be a gravity-fuelled ride on a 600m purpose-built track with themed landscaping along the route; the Skyline Skyride, which aims to offer visitors a bird's eye view of Gamuda Gardens and surrounding landscape; and the Skyline Zipline, designed to offer visitors an adrenaline-pumping experience as it soars over the multi-cornered Luge tracks.

McDonald said, "The Skyline Luge Park in Gamuda Gardens will bring a different and exciting experience for our visitors. It is designed to work within the local terrain and will deliver an exciting ride from the top of the 40m elevated hill."

According to Sivasuriyamoorthy, MIDA will continue to facilitate and support Skyline Enterprises' project implementation and its future expansion. "Skyline Enterprises' decision to expand its business in Malaysia is a testament to the country's growing positive business sentiment among the community of tourism investors." 

Along with the Skyline Luge Activity Park, the Play Park encompassing a mix of wet and dry recreational rides as well as the linear boulevard flanked by open-air retail spaces will also be ready by end-2023 at Gamuda Gardens City Centre, according to Gamuda Land in its statement.

The retail space, it said, will be opened in phases with tenants comprising food and beverages, retail, entertainment and supermarkets to support the community at Gamuda Gardens and the surrounding vicinity.

Gamuda Gardens' 10-year blueprint, which aims to transform the township into a full-fledged city in Klang Valley's northern corridor, will use effective place-making for quality public spaces that will complement the township's residential and lifestyle components, it added.