PJ Car-Free Day goes on till midnight
Participants were sprayed with a different colour at each check point during the Colour Walk.
DESPITE the hot Saturday morning, more than a thousand people gathered in Section 52, Petaling Jaya, for a full day of family activities at the PJ Car-Free Day.
From as early as 6.30am, Dataran Boulevard was filled with participants – young and old – registering for three different activities held in the first part of the day.
Apart from the usual bicycle ride around the commercial area, two new activities were introduced this year – the Colour Walk and roller-blading.
"We wanted to create more awareness this year about health and going green, so we introduced two new activities," said Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain after flagging off the cyclists.
Children taking part in a colouring competition that day.
He said the Car-Free Day was the first of 2017 and residents could expect three more such events this year.
Introduced in 2013, the PJ Car-Free Day has been held three times a year in a bid to increase awareness about Petaling Jaya City Council's (MBPJ) Low-Carbon City Framework that is part of its Local Agenda 21.
MBPJ also aims to raise public awareness of going green and achieving a barrier-free city.
With the new bicycle lanes in place, pedestrians are encouraged to leave their cars at home, and instead, use public transport, cycle or even walk to get around Petaling Jaya.
During the Car-Free event, cyclists who participated in the treasure hunt game were seen searching for clues all over Section 52 while those in the Colour Walk had their shirts sprayed with various colours along the way.
Cyclists being flagged off for the bicycle ride during the first PJ Car-Free Day of the year. — Photos: SHAARI CHE MAT/ The Star
Families were also seen roller-blading together while the younger children were engrossed in their colouring competition.
The day did not end there as the festivities carried on until midnight.
"We usually have night events every Saturday for the public to join for free, so we decided to combine the two events and make it a complete day out for families," the mayor said.
Visitors sampled food from the various food trucks there and browsed the flea market while cultural dancers and street buskers provided entertainment.
At 9pm, the square was filled with Zumba enthusiasts who danced the night away.
A father and his children roller-blading together.
"We do not plan to have this Car-Free Day twice a month like some other councils do because our aim is just to raise awareness among the public. So organising a bigger event four times a year is enough," said Mohd Azizi.
The next Car-Free Day will be announced by MBPJ at a later date.
